The Offer of a Second Chance

Wow----receiving forgiveness is a hard one for me. I'm always trying to earn my forgiveness. I'll be chewing on this one for awhile!---LL

In Touch - Aug. 11-12, 2007

In Touch Daily Devotional by Dr. Charles Stanley

July 11-12, 2007 – The Offer of a Second Chance – John 8:1-11

Today’s passage is about a woman who was caught in adultery. Some people accuse Jesus of taking this woman’s sin lightly and letting her off too easy. This accusation reveals a bias many of us have about sin and forgiveness. We feel we must do something to be forgiven. The notion that Jesus could simply say, “I don’t condemn you” and let this woman go seems ridiculous in many church circles. Yet it seemed natural to Jesus. What are we missing?

Dr. Stanley says he’d like to see the eye contact between Jesus and the frightened woman in that scene from John 8. She probably scanned the crowd and no doubt saw murder and judgment in the eyes of everyone around her, except for one. After she caught the gaze of the only person who looked back with love and compassion, how must she have felt?

Dr. Stanley imagines Jesus looking directly into her heart and breaking the bonds of sin that held her. Christ might have seen her through the lens of the cross, which He knew was coming. A look of genuine repentance and joyful surprise most likely replaced her anguish, even in the middle of such a frightening ordeal. Jesus heard the prayer of her heart and offered assurance that she was forgiven. As she left, He admonished her to sin no more.

Jesus changes the way we approach God. The judgmental “religious people’s” eyes were on retribution. And the “sinner’s” eyes were on the source of forgiveness. Jesus didn’t let her off too easy. He gave her the same second chance He’s given you and me.