Who Am Iናሙና

It’s one of the most humiliating moments in all of Scripture. A woman was caught committing adultery and made to stand for her mistakes in front of a crowd. Her sin was on full display in front of a group of pious religious leaders. She was potentially facing death, as adultery was punishable by stoning at the time. And boy, did she have a group of condemners! Thankfully, Jesus was there, too. Jesus didn’t deny her crime or undermine the law He had written. Instead, He reminded her witnesses, the ones who could legally stone her, of their own sins. Because they’re human, each and every one of them was guilty, too. So, they put down their stones and left. When it was just Jesus with this woman, He did something unexpected. In the face of her deep sin, Jesus offered forgiveness. He didn’t condone her sin; He told her to leave it. And the good news is, the same offer is given to us! Our sins are fully known by God, too. Everything is laid bare before Him. Yet He loves us. And in that love, He offers us forgiveness—forgiveness that we could not earn.

This week, talk to a close friend or family member about what this forgiveness means for your lives. Encourage each other to remember that God calls us to leave our mistakes behind. There’s nothing that can separate us from God’s love!