Daily Prompt: With or Without You
Tell us about the time you threw down the gauntlet and drew the proverbial line in the sand by giving someone an ultimatum. If you’ve never handed out an ultimatum but secretly wanted to, describe the scene and what you would say to put an end (one way or another) to an untenable situation.
Photographers, artists, poets: show us COMPLEX.
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Yep. We put it all on the line. Draw a line in the sand. Just like Jesus did when others accused the woman of adultery. I have had to draw many lines in the sand. Lines. Boundaries. What will you allow? And what is no? And what about when someone uses another person just to get at you?
That’s what happened to the woman. Yes, she had sinned. But so had the Pharisees. And my question is, how many of them had slept with that woman? Many I’ll bet. See it’s always easier to accuse someone else of the same thing you are doing. IMO, I think they were guilty as well. And they did too, when Jesus asked the question, “who is without sin?” They had to leave. They were guilty as well.
God’s Word for You:
To Throw the Stone
Jesus went across to Mount Olives, but he was soon back in the Temple again. Swarms of people came to him. He sat down and taught them.
The religion scholars and Pharisees led in a woman who had been caught in an act of adultery. They stood her in plain sight of everyone and said, “Teacher, this woman was caught red-handed in the act of adultery. Moses, in the Law, gives orders to stone such persons. What do you say?” They were trying to trap him into saying something incriminating so they could bring charges against him.
Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger in the dirt. They kept at him, badgering him. He straightened up and said, “The sinless one among you, go first: Throw the stone.” Bending down again, he wrote some more in the dirt.
Hearing that, they walked away, one after another, beginning with the oldest. The woman was left alone. Jesus stood up and spoke to her. “Woman, where are they? Does no one condemn you?”
“No one, Master.”
“Neither do I,” said Jesus. “Go on your way. From now on, don’t sin.” (John 8:1-11 AMP)
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So, what do you think? With God on our side like this, how can we lose? If God didn’t hesitate to put everything on the line for us, embracing our condition and exposing himself to the worst by sending his own Son, is there anything else he wouldn’t gladly and freely do for us? And who would dare tangle with God by messing with one of God’s chosen? Who would dare even to point a finger? The One who died for us—who was raised to life for us!—is in the presence of God at this very moment sticking up for us. Do you think anyone is going to be able to drive a wedge between us and Christ’s love for us? There is no way! Not trouble, not hard times, not hatred, not hunger, not homelessness, not bullying threats, not backstabbing, not even the worst sins listed in Scripture:
They kill us in cold blood because they hate you.
We’re sitting ducks; they pick us off one by one.
None of this fazes us because Jesus loves us. I’m absolutely convinced that nothing—nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable—absolutely nothing can get between us and God’s love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us.
(Romans 8:31-39 AMP)
My Prayer for You:
Dear Lord,
Thank you for your Word and your wisdom. Let us put down our rocks and stop accusing others of what we are doing ourselves. We have all sinned, we all need a Savior. Thank you for your sacrifice at Calvary. Your blood bought us redemption and now we can come boldly before the throne of grace to receive grace and mercy in our time of need. We need you Lord.
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The Message (MSG)
Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson
Amen, Ms. D!