A Rivefire Meditation on Spiritual Relief in John 8:7-11

by James Harvey

Jesus said, “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, with the woman still standing there. Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” “No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.” John 8:7-11 NIV

“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?” – The Religious Scholars & Teachers of the Law, John 8:4-5 MSG

Can you imagine this woman’s relief?

How stressed was she when the local priests arrested her with a bloodthirsty crowd, everyone ready to stone her to death? What about the people? How do you decide which stones to pick up to use to beat the life out of your neighbor? Did the local synagogue have stoning lessons for kids and teenagers? “No Timmy, don’t get the small rocks, get the bigger ones, they will break bones and crush skulls.”

Stoning back then was normal; it was justice. She knew what she faced. Her stress level must have been extreme. On average, how long did it take someone to die from stoning? Once the first stone hits until you take your last breath, how long does it take? A few minutes? Half an hour? Do they have a medical doctor on hand to go check the person who is being stoned to death to make sure they aren’t just unconscious, but they’re actually dead? If they’re unconscious but still alive, do they wake them up before they finish them off?

Jesus takes this ancient justice system and destroys it, revealing what really matters: the heart. The outward system of justice only exposed the rottenness of everyone’s hearts. The priests think they’re righteous and have no sin. At least that’s what they want their flocks to think. This woman’s neighbors know they’re sinners, but at least they aren’t as “wicked” as she is. Jesus exposed the corrupted root system motivating their questions, “Let any of you who is without sin cast the first stone.”

Jesus revealed that the real problem wasn’t this one woman’s unfaithfulness, it was the sin problem for all of humanity. Which is why he came. He came to die to pay the price to save us all from sin and death so we can be right with our Heavenly Father and return to a loving relationship with him, a relationship we forfeited in Eden.

Jesus paid it all, all to him I owe. Sin had left a crimson stain, he washed it white as snow.

Just imagine her relief. Pause, selah, breathe. She knew she was going to die. She knew Moses’ Law. She must have seen a stoning at least once in her lifetime. She may even have been part of another crowd who stoned another sinner to death. Maybe the stone she threw was the final death blow that snuffed the life out of one of her neighbors.

The relief. The realization that even though I deserve death, He forgives me. He sees my sin, he knows true justice is my death. But he loves me, he forgives me, he makes a way for me to try better, to live for him rather than myself.

When you’re in the center of suffering, when you’re in Death Shadow Valley, life is painful and hard. When you’re in the midst of a raging spiritual battle all around you and it’s been days, weeks, months without a break… When the relief comes, it’s marvelously, wonderfully, joyfully mysterious. The Good Shepherd’s green pastures and quiet waters of shalom & sabbath. The Father’s heart where he picks you up and holds you in his arms, and you know, that at least for a moment, nothing and no one can touch you, and you can just rest in peace.

That’s the relief that’s available through the Holy Spirit, and I pray with all my heart that if you’re going through spiritual warfare or suffering or persecution, or you’re simply in a terrible place in your life and you can’t remember the last time you smiled or laughed or felt genuine joy in your heart, that by Abba Yahweh’s grace you will receive and experience that relief supernaturally right now in your soul, through the power and wonder of the indwelling Holy Spirit of our Messiah King Jesus Christ.

And hey, if you know someone who needs this relief, take this meditation to them, and spend some time together resting, refreshing, and renewing in the Holy Spirit.

Much love & grace to you.

Shalom, Maranatha

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Relief > A Riverfire Song

Stones in their hands, dust in the wind, justice was ready to rise and descend.

A circle of judgment, a life on the line, the law like a gallows, “Her blood for the crime.”

But Mercy bent low. He wrote in the sand. The Author of Life with dust on His hands.

“Let the sinless one cast the first stone.”

The wind grew quiet. The crowd returned home.

One by one the stones fell down, the eldest first, without a sound.

There she stood with Him alone: the only True Judge worthy of the throne.

“Where are they now? Does no one condemn?”

“No one, Lord.”

“Then neither do I”

And suddenly the weight was gone, the shadow lifted, the verdict withdrawn.

A sinner breathing in beautiful grace. Healing shined on her tear-streaked face.

Relief like rain on parched desert ground. Relief when grace is finally found.

Green pastures waiting, quiet streams near, the Good Shepherd whispers, “You are safe here.”

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Riverfire Life is an attempt to help you experience a daily friendship with the Holy Spirit. These meditations and stories are written from the hearts & experiences of global missionaries.

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[Image credit: photo by Dewang Gupta, unsplash.com]