Adored By The God Who Sees MeՕրինակ

A Twenty-First Century Story

Jesus’ decision to speak to a Samaritan woman was unexpected. It opened the door to her redemption and to salvation for many others in her village. Through His compassionate heart, He continues to pursue the lost today, as we see in the story of my friend Jackie.

Jackie captured my heart the instant I shook her hand. With her trendy asymmetrical hairstyle and crazy-print Capri pants, at 90 years of age, she made quite a statement. Her smile and warmth gave no hint of a life story that included years of pain and life-altering mistakes. When I asked her about her life, she shared her story with surprising transparency.

In the 1940s, as a wife and mother of four, she had what most women wanted: a husband she loved, children she adored, and a comfortable lifestyle. But her world came crashing down the day her husband abandoned her and their children for his secretary. Desperate to find a way to support herself and her children, she accepted an entry-level job and tried as best as she could to move forward. Jackie shared how people in that era thought, You aren’t much of a woman if you can’t keep your man happy. 

A brief time later, another man came into her life. Blinded by her emotions, Jackie quickly tumbled into his arms, hungry for someone to love her unconditionally and truly value her. Shaken and terrified when she learned she was pregnant, Jackie poured out the news to him. He also proved to be less than honorable. He abandoned her too. Jackie found herself pregnant, unmarried, and abandoned once again. She hit rock bottom, working low-paying jobs and struggling to raise five children alone while searching for meaning and healing. 

Thankfully, her story did not end there. Jackie met Jesus and began a new life of healing and transformation. She found a place of belonging in the church she attended. She was surrounded by a spiritual family who adored her and enjoyed her company. 

When she finished her story, she added, “Last night, hearing the message, for the first time since those painful years, I felt that shame lifted off me. The heavy weight of guilt is gone. I feel free!” Her face radiated true freedom. 

Can you imagine that for the past fifty years Jackie had carried some shame for her past sins and mistakes? She loved Jesus, she had accepted the gift of salvation, yet in all those years she had not known total freedom from the shame of her painful past. I thank God because He can work in our lives in every single season of life, even when we are nearing 100 years old. It is never too late for God! You don’t have to wait one more day.

Journal Prompt

Think about those areas of your life where you are still not walking in total freedom. Write them down, and allow Jesus to set you free from guilt and shame. Let His Word come alive in your heart and set you free from failure and regrets!