Jesus welcomed the people, taught them about the Kingdom of God and healed those in need. Luke 9:11
Testimony
Before the weekend I was completely unable to accept a part of the Lordship prayer where we acknowledge the Lord's control over "the manner and timing of my death". I needed or wanted an "out", to be able to control this for myself..... Read More...

Seeds of the Kingdom

Drop Your Stones and Pray

by Philip Asselin

Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground. At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left.
John 8:7-9, NIV

The story of the woman caught in adultery is well known, but we don’t know who she was, as her name isn’t mentioned in Scripture. Yet, in a way, we all know her. She’s the person whose life doesn`t measure up to our own. She needs to get herself sorted out! In our story we are Jesus, prepared to tell her (in love of course) to stop that awful life of sin and change her ways! We have the moral high ground and the right to put her straight.

Our words to someone like her might be said directly, but more likely shared (for prayer of course) with others. However they don`t help that person; they cut them. Cut into his or her character, wounding them and make them of less value in our own eyes. In our story, if the truth be known, we’re just like the crowd around her; snarling, angry with her behaviour, wanting her to be punished. The stones (words) are in our hands ready and willing to be hurled at her.

Yet it`s not our right to sort her life out. That`s way beyond our responsibility. We don’t know her, but Jesus does. We don’t know what made her as she is, but Jesus does. We don’t know how to help her, but Jesus does. So we need to drop the stones we have ready to hurl at her, and walk away from the place of judgement we are standing in. We need to pray for her (or whoever ‘she’ represents). For if Jesus chose not to condemn her, though he had every right to, then exactly what right do we? It’s time to let the stones drop from our hands and for us to kneel and pray.

Prayer: Dear Lord, I’m truly sorry for the times You`ve found me standing in judgement of others; the sharp stones of verbal condemnation ready in my hands to hurl at someone who doesn`t measure up to my standards of what is and isn`t right. I pause for a moment and allow You to bring specific people to mind. I ask Your forgiveness and drop those stones. Instead, I choose to lift my hands in prayer to You for them, asking that You will bless them and change both them and me to become more like You. Amen.

Philip Asselin Philip is on the associate ministry and teaching teams with Glyndley Manor. He and his wife Gillian attended the second Healing Retreat at Glyndley Manor in 1992, and were greatly helped. They have two grown up children, one grandson, and a step-granddaughter in California, and a daughter and granddaughter in Eastbourne. His desire is to see people healed and set free to serve God.

 

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