My adulterous heart....

Last week I talked to a group of women about what it would look like to let Jesus define who we are... instead of listening to the lies and letting our pasts, our jobs, our possessions or even our sin define us. It sounds so simple... just say yes to God... but the moment I set my mind the that I feel like the enemy amps up his attacks on me and turns up the volume on the lies he was once just whispering in my ear

In John 8 there's a story of an adulterous woman...

"Jesus returned to the Mount of Olives, but early the next morning he was back again at the Temple. A crowd soon gathered, and he sat down and taught them. As he was speaking, the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery. They put her in front of the crowd.


'Teacher,' they said to Jesus, 'this woman was caught in the act of adultery. The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?'


They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger. They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, 'All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!' Then he stooped down again and wrote in the dust.


When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman. Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, 'Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?'


'No, Lord,' she said.


And Jesus said, 'Neither do I. Go and sin no more.'"

I kind of identify with this adulterous woman. Don't get your panties in a bunch... I love my hubby... but if I'm honest I have to admit, I’m an adulterer in my relationship with God far too often.  I try to draw strength and comfort from so many things other than him. I turn to my husband or to my mom or friends or anything really, but the one person who can truly make things better. I turn to everything else before I remember that all I have to do is say YES... all I have to do is listen to his voice OVER the voice of the greatest of accusers. I have to rely on his love and grace, POWER and mercy... then he lifts me up dusts me off and says GO...

He told the woman to go and sin no more… but what I heard was Go… and let me define who you are….