During an evening concert held last Friday at CTMI’s Trianon conference hall by Sister Audrey to launch her new album, “I Worship You”, a group of young people performed a piece about the woman who was brought to Jesus on adultery charges. The presentation was incredibly powerful and the lady in particular was riveting. I felt the tears streaming down my face as the realization of the power of grace hit me.
There is something about having grace where you don’t just talk, but where people can feel that power in you. The Pharisees made a grave mistake by bringing the woman to Jesus. The law confronted grace. Men who had no thought of ever sacrificing themselves in any way confronted a Man who was willing to lay down His life. Big mistake.
Jesus could have spoken so many words, trying to reason out with the Pharisees to let the woman go. But He spoke only two sentences – and the authority and power in those words did the rest. There is something about someone who is walking the road of the Cross that sets other people free.
Recently, I was dealing with a girl who felt she was being tempted to backslide. In my zeal, I commented that she should ‘avoid’ sin at all costs because of the negative impact it would have on her life. I was scared she would sin, and I wanted to prevent that.
But it is not my job to prevent people from sinning. That is the Holy Spirit’s work!
That night I could not sleep. I realized what a big burden I had put on the suffering girl. The very next day, I sought her out and told her: “What I told you was not the truth. Let us trust God for your situation.” In my heart, I felt the need to set her free, and to allow the grace of God to help her in her time of need. I prayed with her and let her go.
The Lord set her free and today she is walking in victory.
Let us give the Holy Spirit the opportunity to do what only He can do – to set the people of God free from the power of sin. We can only do that by taking our Cross and following Jesus. Then, death will work in us and life will come to those we come into contact with: “So then death worketh in us, but life in you” 2 Cor. 4:12.
Cross of Christ 