Passage of the Day:
But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 2 At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. 3 The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group 4 and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5 In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” 6 They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him. But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. 7 When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8 Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground. 9 At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. 10 Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” 11 “No one, sir,” she said.“Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin,” John 8:1-11.
Reflection:
Most Bibles have a disclaimer at the top of John 8:1-11. Subsequently, this passage is likely a story added by John or one of his disciples which falls into a category mentioned in John 21:25. Rather than possess a spiritual longing for God, the woman in today’s passage was overcome by a spirit of lust mentioned in James 1:14-15 and 1 John 2:15-16. The apostle Paul addresses this spiritual conflict in Romans 8:5-8. Therefore, if you want to develop a longing for God, your heart and mind must be fixated on things above.
Prayerful Action:
Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God, Colossians 3:1-3.
Building Up Bible Believing Behaviors:
Growing up in the Roman Catholic Church, I was taught to follow the Ten Commandments. After attending church religiously for years without being encouraged to enter into a personal relationship with God, many of my friends and I were lost, longing for something more. This longing was brought up by a co-worker, a counselor at a YMCA Summer Camp. Chrissy and I went through Confirmation together but had lost touch until being paired together for a couple of weeks. Unfortunately, when Chrissy expressed this longing for God, I missed this opportunity to share my faith. What Chrissy was searching for was the same longing as the adulterous woman in today’s passage. When Jesus saved this woman from being stoned to death, His only request was to “Go and Sin No More.” Like the words in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5:48, strive for perfection with a daily longing to please God and not you flesh.
Song of the Day:
Final Thoughts:
Romans 3:9-12 paints a picture of failure as all human beings have lost control of their flesh like the adulterous woman who Jesus saved. While this internal spiritual battle continues today, Galatians 5:16-17, developing a longing for God will alter your behavior. May the lyrics of Go and Sin No More fill you with a spiritual longing for God.
by Jay Mankus
ExpressYourself4Him 