John 8 10 When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, “Woman, where are those accusersof yours? Has no one condemned you?” 11 She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.”
We are less than 48 hours away from the end of 2021 and for many this is a time of retrospection and reflection. Many are thinking about what they could have, should have or would have done in 2021 and are hoping for better in 2022. As I reflect on 2021 and relive some of the memories, I hear my spirit pleading, “Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned.”
SIN – to miss the way or the mark; to wander from the way; to err or be mistaken; to violate God’s law.
In 2021, there were many decisions I made and actions I took that caused me to miss the way or the mark, and sometimes to wander from the way. There were times when I thought I heard His voice but was mistaken; I was in error. Although many of these experiences provided valuable learning lessons, my heart is still heavy in having disappointed Him and having delayed progress.
Yet, as I cry, I hear the voice of the Holy Spirit’s response, “Neither do I condemn you: go, and sin no more.” With that instruction comes the memory of the account of Mary Magdalene and the woman caught in adultery (John 8: 1-11). What do these two women have in common? They both encountered the same dimensions of our Lord God: compassion, mercy, and forgiveness that led to their salvation.
Life circumstances had brought them both to places of bondage, bondage to sin and death. Mary’s bondage was a result of demon possession; her will was no longer her own. She was controlled and harassed by seven evil spirits that had taken up residence within her body (Mark 16:9). The other woman’s bondage was a result of sexual immorality which led her to a place of death(John 8:3-7).
Nevertheless, when they met Jesus, they were released from their bondage. They received deliverance from and victory over that which had them bound, that which prevented them from being who they were created and designed to be. Jesus, when he saw them, did not focus on their sin. He did not meet them with condemnation but with salvation (John 3:16-18). In fact, their sin did not surprise or disgust Him. Their sin was the reason He came. He came to seek and save those that were lost (Luke 19:10). He came to save His people from their sin (Matthew 1:21). He came with power to set them free (John 8:31-32).
Many of us are looking back at 2021 and we see some things that we are not too proud of. We see occasions where we missed the mark, where we wandered away from the guidance of the Lord God and lost our way. We see things worthy of condemnation. But friends, if we focus on those things, we will remain hostages to the power of sin; we will remain in bondage. Instead, we can choose to have an ENCOUNTER with Jesus, to encounter His compassion, His mercy, and His forgiveness that would lead to salvation and receive POWER to “go, and sin no more.”
My encouragement to You as you exit this old year and make preparations to enter the new is to go after a fresh encounter with Jesus. Make Him your focus of pursuit. Become desperate for Him as Mary Magdalene was when she visited his tomb and was desperate to know where they had laid Him (John 20:11-18). If we seek Him, search for Him with all of our heart, we will find Him (Jeremiah 29:13) and find freedom for our souls, freedom to be who we were designed and created to be, His pleasure.
Dear Lord Jesus, my heart’s cry today is for an encounter with You. I want to so encounter You that my life will never be the same. Like Mary Magdalene, I want my encounter with You to create such a passion for You that my life’s fulfillment will be found in being with You, following You, and ministering to You in life and in death. Thank You for forgiving me and for relieving me of every burden, load and care that has held me in bondage. Thank You for allowing me to know You; may I so know You until I become strong and can execute exploits in and through Your name. AMEN