At the Bottom of the Sea

The story of the woman caught in adultery in John 8 has given me complete confidence in the grace of my God. That grace that Jesus showed to that woman gives us a glimpse into His heart. He stood in the way of her condemnation. He was her only way out.
I remember sharing this story last year when I had the opportunity, through the jail ministry at my church, to speak to a group of women in the Greene County Jail. As I shared this, these women obviously in a pretty desperate place, listened intently as I read those freeing words that Jesus spoke to that woman "Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more." Several of them fighting tears upon being reminded that Jesus would say the same to them. They faced a realization that Jesus took on all of their wrongs and sins, things that they couldn't hide from. They messed up and are living out the consequences in green uniforms, white socks, and brown rubber sandals. But nonetheless, Jesus' grace is the same in there as it is out here. I, myself, had to fight back tears as I too had this realization. I need God's grace just as much as each of them do. The only difference is, I can hide my faults a lot of times and I can easily forget how much I need Him. These women are reminded every day when they wake up behind steal bars that their only hope is in Jesus.
Another concept I have a hard time wrapping my mind around is that Jesus forgets my sins when I ask Him to. He doesn't even know that I did them. It is unfortunate that I remember each of them vividly. I am again brought back to these women in the jail. They are living in jail because of their sins. How could they forget them? But yet, some of them spoke up and shared their hope in the salvation that Jesus gave them and the mercy they have to live in. It is the only way they are able to function every day.
I want that desperation. I want to need Him to function. Just to get through each hour of the day. I want to embrace His forgiveness and live in it everyday. I also want that compassion that Jesus has. That I can see a beating heart and life worth loving through a woman's scarlet letter of adultery or through steal bars of a jail. His love is unchanging and unconditional. I want to mirror this!