John 8:3 – 5 The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst they said to him, "Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. Now in the law Moses commanded us to stone such. What do you say about her?"
Mistakes I made years ago can sometimes creep back upon me as guilt. Some of those mistakes focus around my relationship with my daughter. There were times in her life when I should have been there for her, but while she was still a teenager, I moved hundreds of miles away to another state.
Sure, I was only a telephone call away, but it hurt her deeply that I was not right there just to hold her and tell her everything would be all right like I had when she was just a little girl.
Years have passed and many times I have regretted my actions and the resulting consequences.
This summer I spent some real one on one time in the mountains with my daughter just talking with her and once again understanding how much I had hurt her. I had told her that I was sorry before, but the difference this time is that she now understands what was going on inside me during that time. “Daddy, I forgive you.” When she spoke those words, the hurt and regret I had been living with all these years began to heal.As each of us live our lives, we make mistakes. Sometimes the consequences of those mistakes means that we have hurt someone very dear to us.
There are people who have strained relationships and have not spoken for years because of mistakes. The sad situation is that one of them may pass away with those issues not being resolved.
When we look at today’s scripture a little further, we see Jesus say, "Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her."
Many times we hold grudges for years and allow the mistakes to fester into a sore, robbing us of joy and peace and a relationship with others. It is usually with someone we love a lot, but our pride just drives us forward without asking for or giving forgiveness.
Therefore we need to read the rest of the story by listening to what Jesus says in today’s verses.
But when they heard it, they went away, one by one, beginning with the eldest, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. Jesus looked up and said to her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?" She said, "No one, Lord." And Jesus said, "Neither do I condemn you; go, and do not sin again." John 8: 9-11
Pray for someone who has hurt you or that you have hurt. Ask the Lord to show you a way to forgive or be forgiven. Seek out the person who you hurt or the one who has hurt you and talk of forgiveness. You don’t have to resolve or even discuss the issues that tore you apart. Instead just tell them you love them and ask for forgiveness.
I still regret the mistakes I made years ago, but I know the Lord has forgiven me and now my daughter, the most precious one I offended has forgiven me as well.
Is there someone you need to talk with?
Is there someone you need to talk with?
