Begin AgainChikamu

God’s Grace: His Outstretched Hand I wonder how it must have felt for her: overwhelmed with shame and the feeling of disgrace, maybe mixed with anger, betrayal, and guilty - and the thought of impending death. Perhaps the woman caught in adultery preferred death over the greater shame she was about to face before the public. No one, it seemed, would help her. But as she dreadfully awaited for the stones to hit, none fall upon her. She was certain those religious leaders were eager to stone her to death. “...let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!” (v.7) Jesus had issued a challenge to those eager to deliver this sinner her penalty of death, and it was a sobering challenge -- to fellow sinners. While they were eager to deliver her to her death, in the face of this woman’s grave sin, the Lord was not done with her. In fact, Jesus was eager to deliver her a new beginning. “Go and sin no more.” (v. 11) Have you ever felt that life was done with you, and that you were done with life? After all those wrong turns, sinful and unwise choices that have almost cost you your future or your life, God still is not done with you. No, instead God longs to give you a new beginning. God sees you and knows you by heart. He loves you to the very core. Come to Jesus just as you are. God’s grace is the outstretched hand He offers you to enable you to stand and face life once more -- with Him, this time.