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The
TIMES OF refreshing
GOD OF A SECOND CHANCE Scripture
reading: John 8:1-11 I know you are familiar with the story of the woman committing adultery. It’s the only story in the bible where a woman is actually taken in the very act of committing adultery. This time as you read about her, I want you to meditate and go a little deeper into the story, I want you to imagine that you are there as this is happening, better yet, imagine that it’s you that has been taken in the act of committing adultery. I had to get up, the sun would be up soon, and I needed to get back home before me husband returned from his overnight trip. I was getting used to him being gone, I no longer complained about the length of time or how often he was gone. Why, because I had found a way to satisfy my needs, I had discovered a way to occupy my time while he was away. I had discovered the arms of another man. I started to get out of the bed as he pulled me closer to him, his arms squeezing me ever so gently, when suddenly the door burst open, and I was staring in the face of my husband and some of his friends. Oh no, he must have had me followed; he must have hired someone to keep track of me. They pulled the an out of the bed and grabbed me, slapping me around as they threw a sheet around me. I reached for my clothes but they wouldn’t allow me to get them. Where were they taking me? Wasn’t it enough that I had been caught? My heart felt like it was trying to come up through my throat. I tried to explain (but what was there to explain) as I struggled to get away from them, but they weren’t listening. More men came into the room and confronted the man I was with. I couldn’t concern myself with him now, I had to find away out of this mess. Where were all these people coming from? What had my husband done, told his entire men’s group of what he had planned to do? They pulled me outside and started to drag me towards the temple. I felt as though I was going to pass out, my knees were getting weaker and weaker. What was going to happen to me, I thought. I could barely see past all the tears, but I was able to make out some of my women friends huddled in groups whispering. Why weren’t they trying to help me, I wondered. Why were they just standing there? Surely I would help them if they were in trouble. I was alone in this mess. They could at least go and get some help. Now I knew what type of friends I had. The men started calling me names as they continued
to push me, and drag me (if they thought I was going to pass out) to
wherever they were going. I
could no longer see my husband, just a bunch of strange faces. No one looked familiar to me right now, although I knew they
had to be friends of his. Why
won’t they leave me alone, and let us the two of us work this out?
Why are they even concerned about what I was doing?
It’s none of their business.
Why is he letting them do this to me?
Someone please stop them, I cried out, but no one came.
They finally stopped in front of the temple, there was a man teaching there, I couldn’t make out his face because of the tears. What were they getting ready to do? Then it hit me hard; I remembered what Moses had said in the Law: If a man be found lying with a
woman married to an husband, then they shall both of them die, [both]
the man that lay with the woman, and the woman: so shalt thou put away
evil from Israel. Deu 22:22 And the man that committeth
adultery with [another]
man's wife, [even he]
that committeth adultery with his neighbour's wife, the adulterer and
the adulteress shall surely be put to death.
Lev 20:10 Surely they aren’t thinking of killing me for committing adultery. Why didn’t they drag the man with me? Why are they only picking on me? The law clearly states that the man is just as guilty as I am, so where is he? “I am not the only one guilty of committing sin” I wanted to say. But from the look in their eyes, I was too afraid to speak. Just then the leader of the group addressed the man that was teaching. “ Teacher, this woman was taken in the very act of adultery. Now Moses in the law commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do you say? Oh no, they were thinking of stoning me. Oh my, have mercy. How could this be happening? I don’t deserve this. How could they think of killing me because I slept with someone? Oh Lord, I don’t deserve this. So many thoughts ran through my mind, so many things I hadn’t had a chance to do. People I hadn’t spoken to in so long, people that I had allowed to slip out of my life. So many things I had wanted to say, but had allowed hatred and bitterness to keep me from speaking to them. What about my children, what would happen to them? If only I could have one more chance, if only I could repent of what I had done. Now it was too late. Some had already picked up rocks, as they waited for the Teacher to answer.
What was taking him so long to respond? Was he ignoring them? Instead of answering, he stooped down and started writing on the ground. I dried my eyes so I could see whom they were talking to. Oh no, it was Jesus! Surely, my time had come; there was no way He was going to go against the Law. He was Jesus! Had I finally reached the end of my life? Had I finally gotten so deep in sin that there was no way out? To be caught in the act of committing adultery, nothing could be worse. I couldn’t lie my way out of this mess like I had done so many times before. As I thought about the affair, it wasn’t even worth it. It was just something to do to keep from being lonely. Something to pass the time away whenever my husband ignored her. It was my way of getting even for the way he had been treating me. Instead of praying for marriage, I had given up and decided to do what I thought he was doing. And look at what it had cost me. I had traded nights of passion for my life. Oh Father, to be able to start over again. I opened my eyes and looked over at Jesus; He continued writing. What was He writing? Was He writing out my punishment? Why won’t He answer them? I wanted to die; I just wanted it to be over. Why couldn’t I have a heart attack and just die, anything to put me out of my misery. I trembled as I waited for Him to answer.
They asked him again, and finally he stopped writing. Oh no, this is it. I clung tighter to the sheet that covered my body and braced for the first stone to hit me. Jesus stood up and spoke. “He who is without sin among you, let him cast the first stone at her” Then He returned to His writings on the ground. There was murmuring in the crowd, I closed my eyes
not knowing what was going to happen next.
I knew some of the men in the crowd had committed sin, but I
couldn’t concern myself with that now.
I wanted to live; I wanted another chance. I remembered the
prayer I had heard Jesus recite earlier and I started saying it
silently: Our Father which art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name.
I felt the embrace of the two men that were
holding me captive let go. If
this was it, I was going out praying.
I continued to pray: Yea, though I walk through the
valley of the shadow of death, Every prayer, every scripture my grandmother had taught me was flooding my mind like a river. Oh why hadn’t I lived the life that my grandmother lived and talked about? Why had I allowed circumstances to dictate to me how I would live? I knew better, I knew the Word. “Oh Father, forgive me, I want to live!” I cried. Hide
thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. I waited for the rocks to hit. Nothing. Even the murmurings were dying down. I heard rocks hit the ground. Slowly I opened my eyes and looked around. Men were dropping their rocks and walking away. The women across from the temple were walking towards Jesus. What had happened? Why were they leaving? Then I remembered what Jesus had said: “He
who is without sin among you, They were walking away because of their own sins. Their own sins had convicted them. I looked at them as they were leaving; I knew most of them. They had been ready to stone me, to put me to death because of my sin, yet these same men, whom I thought had been so righteous, were just as guilty as I. Yet, they had wanted to kill me for what I had done. I watched as the last one walked away, and wondered what would happen to her now. I dared not move for fear of the unknown. Jesus stopped writing, and raised Himself; I trembled as never before and pulled the sheet closer to my body. I realized no matter how tightly I held onto that sheet, I felt naked in the presence of the Almighty God, naked waiting on my judgment. What would I say to Him? As He came near I wanted to speak, but the words wouldn’t come. This man held my life in His hands. What could I say to Him? I knew I was guilty; I couldn’t hide it from Him. There was nothing I could say.
When He looked at me and it was as if He could see
every thing I had ever done. My life was before Him like an open book,
nothing was hidden. I
looked into His eyes, and saw such calmness, such peace, and so much
love. “Woman, where are thine accusers? Has no man condemned
thee?” He asked. With
tears running down my face I said, “They walked away Lord. No man
stayed to condemn me” Although I had prayed, nothing could have prepared me for
what He was about to say. Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and
sin no more. Then He turned walked way and went back to teaching
as before saying: I am the light of the
world: he that followeth me I stood there, not able to move. Now tears began to
stream down my face, as I realized Jesus had given me a second chance.
He had wiped away my sin; He had spoken to me and made me feel
brand new. I slowly I
felled to the ground praising Jesus for giving me a second chance, for
sparing my life. I didn’t deserve it, but He gave me a second chance.
I felt this day was the first day of the rest of my life; I felt
reborn. His words rang in
my spirit over and over: “Neither
do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more”
Jesus hadn’t condemned me for what I had done. He had ever right to, but He forgave me for her sins. He knew all about me, yet He forgave me.
Verily,
verily, I say unto you, He that heareth My word, It
didn’t matter to Him what I had done, He stood there with His arms
stretched out waiting for me to come to Him.
He stood ready to forgive me for what I had done.
He had given me a second chance.
My past was behind me; Sin
no more I heard Him say.
He had wiped my sins away. I
had never known how precious life was until it was almost taken away
from me. I had never known
how much Jesus loved me until
I stood face to face with Him covered in sin, and He washed me clean.
What kind of love is this? A love that looks beyond all my
faults, searches my heart, and forgives.
A love that never changes; a love of mercy and grace.
This is the love that I had been craving; this is the love that I
had been searching for. No
man had ever loved me like this before. A love like this could only be
found in the arms of Jesus. I
didn’t know how long I lay there crying tears of joy before I felt
hands pulling on me. Someone
was calling for me; “Mommy, mommy time to get up”.
It was my son; he up and hungry for breakfast, off he went
towards the kitchen. Oh my, I had been dreaming.
I pulled the covers back, as I slowly got myself together.
I looked over and saw my bible laying open next to me. The
chapter I had been reading before I fell asleep was John, chapter 8. It
was the story of the woman taken in adultery the night before.
I touched my face and it was wet, and my eyes felt swollen as if
I had been crying all night. I
got up and started towards the bathroom.
The phone rang, it was my friend, he wanted to know if we were
meeting tonight. I thought about the dream, a second chance, go
your way and sin no more.
“No” I told him. “It’s
over; I can’t see you ever again.
Please don’t call anymore”.
I hung up the phone, went back into the bedroom and fell on my
knees. Tears began to run
down my face as I thought about the life I had been living, all the lies
that I had told. How many
times had I gone against His will, and yet He forgave me? He gave
me A Second
Chance How many times after forgiving me did I turn around and do the same things simply because I knew He would forgive me? A second chance. Oh Father, I don’t even feel worthy, yet here you are waiting to give me a second chance. As I thought about how I nearly lost my life in the dream because what I had done. I repented and cried out to the Lord. “Lord, I know that I don’t belong with you because I have done wrong. Lord I’m tired of the way I am, I need to feel the touch of your hand. Lord please search me and show me all my wrongs. Then forgive me, wash me and make me strong. A second chance, Lord I thank you for giving me a second chance. GOD OF A SECOND CHANCE How many second chances has He given you? The times you had one man coming in the front door, while another went out the back door; a second chance. The times you lied to your friend’s husband about where his wife was; a second chance. Sleeping with the boss to get a promotion, a second chance. The times you prostituted your body; a second chance. Day after day of living with a man that’s not your husband, a second chance. Sleeping with sin on Saturday night, and singing in the choir on Sunday morning; a second chance. How many times have you taken advantage of His good grace, while running this race? Yet, He forgives you; A second chance GOD OF A SECOND CHANCE The enemy is out to destroy the women of God. He has been and will be, unrelenting in his attempts to shame you, strip and dishonor you in order to challenge God's work in your lives. He wants you to believe that because of the life you have been living, you aren’t worthy for the Kingdom of God. He wants you to give up. He wants you to think that God can’t use you anymore. But I want you to remember the vessels God has used in the past to deliver His people. Moses was a murderer; David slept with another man’s wife and had him killed so he could be with her. Abraham lied about Sarah being his wife, the list goes on, yet these broken vessels were mighty instruments for the Kingdom of God. God can use a broken vessel; it’s His specialty. So no matter what you have done, Jesus is waiting to restore you. He is waiting with His arms stretched out. He will never turn you away. He will never remind you of your past. No matter what you have done; He loves you. Everything you think you have done in the dark, and nobody knows about, my God has seen. He knows everything there is to know about you, even those things that you are ashamed to tell your closest friend. He knows, yet God is waiting for you. So now it’s time you tell the enemy off: Tell
Satan he is a liar; tell him he has no power over you, Tell him
he can't touch your body - it's covered with the blood. Tell him
he cannot enter your home Tell him
to take his hands off your children Tell
him God has seen all your faults, and He has forgiven you. Tell
him you have a right to the tree of life.
Why? Because… He is the God of a Second Chance
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