GOD OF A SECOND CHANCE

Scripture reading: John 8:1-11 Jesus went unto the mount of Olives.  And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them.  And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they set her in the midst, they say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act.  Now Moses in the law commanded us; that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?  This they said, tempting him that they might have to accuse him.  But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.  So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.  And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.  And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.  When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers?  hath no man condemned thee?  She said, No man, Lord.  And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go,and sin no more. 

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.  Let me share this with you as God shared it with me in a dream.

It was almost dawn; the sun would be up soon, and I needed to get home before it was time for the babysitter to leave.  I was glad that she had been able to come and stay over for the entire weekend, which gave me some much-needed time away from the kids.  Time I could use to spend with my special friend.  Everything seemed to fall into place for this weekend too; his wife was out of town on her girlfriend trip, so he was free to get away.   

I hated he was married, but after dating guys with no future, and looking for someone to take care of them, I figured why not date a married man?  No strings attached, I wasn’t looking for anything long term, and it would ease my loneliness and satisfy my needs until I could find the right one.  At least, that is the way I intended it to be.  What started out as an innocent meeting in the park had grown into a beautiful (but sinful) relationship.  Yes, I had found someone who appreciated me and made me feel special.  Shame he was married…

CAUGHT IN THE ACT

I started to get out of the bed as he reached for me and pulled me closer to him.  His arms squeezing me ever so gently; and I was just about to give in when suddenly the door burst open.  I was staring in the face of some of the men from the church I attended.  What were they doing here, and how did they find me?  Before I could say a word, they pulled me out of the bed, yanking on me, slapping me around, and calling me all kinds of names.  I tried to reach for my clothes, but they wouldn’t let me get to them.  Finally, someone threw a sheet around me, and they began to pull me out of the room.

Where were they taking me?  They were all talking at once, and I couldn't make out what they were saying.  Wasn’t it enough that I had been caught?  What happened to the man I was with, why wasn’t he saying anything?

My heart felt like it was trying to come up through my throat.  I tried to explain (but what was there to explain, I knew what I had done).  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 a way out of this mess.  Where were all these people coming from?

They pulled me outside and continued to call me names and said what they would do to me if I were married to them.  Little did they know some of their wives were doing the same thing?  But oh, when I get out of this mess, my sistas would have to tell me why they didn’t have my back.  They had to know something was up.  There is no way these men could keep a secret like this from some of their wives.

It seemed as though they had been pulling me for a while now.  I was still screaming and kicking trying to get loose.  We finally came to a stop near this temple where weekly prayer meetings were being conducted.  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 could barely see past all the tears, but as I looked around I was able to make out some of my women friends huddled in groups whispering.  So they did know.  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.  Not one of them moved an inch to help me.  Now I knew what type of friends I had.

The men started calling me names as they continued to push me, and then drag me when they thought I was going to pass out.  They wanted to make sure I was alert for whatever they were going to do.  I could no longer see the man I had been with, just a bunch of strange faces.  No one looked familiar to me right now.  Why won’t they leave me alone, and let 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?  I cried out for someone to stop them, but no one came. 

THE TEACHER AT THE TEMPLE

They finally stopped in front of the temple, and I felled to the ground.  When I looked up, there was a man teaching some small children there.  He said something to the children, and they went away.  I couldn’t make out who this person was because of the tears running down my face.  Someone finally called out to him.  Then one of them told him what I had been doing.  Why were they telling a stranger about what I did?  What were they getting ready to do, and why would he care?  Then suddenly a light went off in my head, and I felt like a ton of bricks hit me and woke me up.  I realized what was going on.  I remembered the sermon the minister preached on last Sunday (oh yeah I went to church and believe it or not I paid attention; I just didn’t apply it to my life), and 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.  Deuteronomy 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.  Leviticus 20:10

Ok, wait a minute.  I am not married to anybody, so surely this law they are talking about can’t apply to me; I thought.  But who the heck am I going to say that to now?  Oh my goodness, I remember them teaching on this last week.  That would have been a good time to ask that question.  Snap out of it girl, pay attention to what is happening right now, focus. 

Surely, they aren’t thinking of killing me for committing adultery.  Another thing, why didn’t they drag the man with me?  Why are they only picking on me?  If we are going to go by “The Law," well it 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 who was teaching.  “Teacher, this woman was taken in the very act of adultery.  Now Moses in the law commanded us that she should be stoned.  But what do you say?  Oh no, they were thinking of stoning me.  Oh my, Lord 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.  Ok, I messed up, but surely I didn’t deserve to die for it. 

WAS IT TOO LATE?

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.  Oh Father, what's going to happen to my children?  What would happen to them?  So many things I wanted to say to my family.  If only I could have one more chance, if only I could repent of what I had done.  Now it was too late.  Some of them 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 who 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 it, what I was doing with this married man wasn’t even worth it.  It was just something to do to keep from being lonely.  Something to pass the time away to ease the hurt I felt from my failed relationships.  It was my way of not dealing with reality.  Instead of praying and asking God to work on me and give Him some of my time, I decided to take things into my own hands and help destroy someone else’s marriage.  Look at what it cost me; I 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 right now and die?  Oh please let it happen so I can be put out of my misery.  I trembled as I waited for Him to answer.  It seemed like my whole life was passing before my eyes as I waited for Jesus to respond.

JESUS FINALLY SPEAKS

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.  What the heck was He writing?  Didn’t He see these men were crazy?

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.  Thy kingdom come.  Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.  Give us this day our daily bread.  And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.  And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever.  Amen.  Lord please forgive me.

I felt the embrace of the two men that had been keeping me awake release their grip on me.  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, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.  Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.  Surely, goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever. 

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 she had 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.  Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.  Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. 

I waited for the first rock to hit.  Nothing.  Even the murmurings were dying down.  I heard rocks hit the ground.  I jumped thinking they missed me, and I braced for the next one to hit me.  Nothing…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 happened?  Why were they leaving?  Then I remembered what Jesus had said:

“He who is without sin among you, let him cast the first stone”

They were walking away because of their own sins.  Their own sins convicted them.  I looked at them as they were leaving; I knew most of them.  They were ready to stone me, to put me to death because of my sin.  However, these same men, whom I thought had been so righteous, were just as guilty in their walk with the Lord.  However, 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 me 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 still felt naked in the presence of the Almighty God.  Naked, ashamed and 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. 

NO CONDEMNATION

When He looked at me, it was as if He could see everything I had ever done.  My life was before Him like an open book, nothing was hidden.  Nothing!  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.  Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.  Then He turned walked way and went back to teaching as before saying:

John 8:12 I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

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 wiped away my sin; He had spoken to me and made me feel brand new.  I slowly 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 even though He knew all about me.  He had every right to, but He forgave my sins.  He knew all about me, yet He didn’t condemn me.

John 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth My word, and believeth on him that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation;

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 gave me a second chance.  My past was behind me; Sin no more I heard Him say.  He wiped my sins away. 

A SECOND CHANCE

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.  It’s 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 laid there crying tears of joy before I felt hands pulling on me.  Someone was calling for me; “Mommy, mommy wake up, time to get up.”  It was my son; he was up and hungry for breakfast.  Off he went towards the kitchen.  Oh my, I had been dreaming.  Yes, I had been dreaming.  I pulled the covers back, as I slowly got myself together.  I looked over and saw my bible lying 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. 

As I got up and started towards the bathroom, the phone rang, it was my friend, and 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 there are so many times I’ve done wrong.  But, Lord I’m tired living the way that I am.  Please forgive me, cleanse me, strengthen me, and make me strong.  All I need right now is just to feel the touch of your precious hand.  Lord please search my heart and show me all my wrongs.  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.  If you slept around and lied to get that promotion; He’s given you 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.  If you’re fornicating on Saturday night and still alive to sing in the choir on Sunday morning, He’s given you a second chance.

How many times have you taken advantage of His good grace, while running this race?  However, you still hear Him calling your name; He continues to forgive you….

He’s the 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.  However, 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 cannot sleep in your bed there's not enough cover.

Tell him he can't touch your body - it's covered with the blood.

Tell him he cannot enter your home the locks have been changed.

Tell him to take his hands off your children because you've had hands laid on them.

Tell him no more tears, heartaches, or pains because you have found another, and He is the lover of your soul.  Tell him God has seen all your faults, and He has forgiven you.

Tell him all your dirty sins have been washed away with the blood of Jesus Christ.

Tell him you have a right to the tree of life.  Why?  Because…

He is the God of a Second Chance (and many more...)