It had to have been the umpteenth time I had heard the story from the Gospel of John chapter 8 verses 1-11, about the woman caught in adultery that is brought to Jesus. I grew up in church, so this story was not unfamiliar to me, and I always loved the story because Jesus saved this woman’s life when the law demanded her death. But this time I was hearing it told through the ministry of Reinhard Bonnke as I sat in on a session with him at his School of Evangelism in May 2016, and my heart was riveted to the implications of every move Jesus made in this instance.

Here was a woman caught in sin. Dragged alone without the man who would have to have been a counterpart (since one cannot commit adultery alone), and thrown at the feet of Jesus to be stoned in His presence. In all probability, the man was not brought because he was a Pharisee–one of them, and religious, political people always have to cover one another to keep their power. Regardless of that fact, the law demanded a death penalty, and the Pharisees were going to force Jesus to participate in or witness the execution of justice for this woman.

We don’t know what Jesus wrote in the sand when he stooped down to write. All we know is that what He wrote, and then the words He said “He among you who is without sin, cast the first stone” caused the Pharisees one by one to drop their rocks, and walk away, leaving the woman alone at Jesus’ feet.

There was one among the crowd who was without sin. There was one there who had legal, moral, and judicial rights to cast the first stone. Jesus Himself. Why didn’t He administer justice? As Reinhard so beautifully stated it, “He was already on His way to the cross to take her death penalty.”

If the Pharisees had only known the Mercy that was available at the feet of Jesus, maybe they wouldn’t have dropped their rocks and backed away, but maybe they would have run to His feet and joined the woman there. If they had known that their death penalty was hanging over their heads for their sins against a Holy God, perhaps they would have cried out for the mercy that is only available through the Son of God, Jesus who would carry their sin and punishment to the cross, to pay their debt once and for all.

As long as you and I are breathing, we are living in the Mercy of God. The forgiveness, help, healing, and deliverance we need is still found at the feet of Jesus. Whether or not we “deserve” it, the Bible says that God’s mercies are “new every morning”.(Lamentations 3:22-23). It is because of this Mercy, this opportunity to still seek the Lord while He may be found (Isaiah 55:6), to have forgiveness for my sin, healing for my body, salvation for my soul, that I am compelled to run to Him. I am passionately desiring to bring as many people with me to His presence as I can in my lifetime. Mercy has not run out; but you and I must run to it while we are still living.

Would you join me on this mission to Run to Mercy?

First, evaluate your life before God. Are you living on the outskirts of His presence? Do you have a relationship with Him? Have you asked Him to forgive your sins, and impart His mercy into your life? If not, make this your moment right now. Don’t sit, don’t spectate, don’t drag your feet—-RUN! Run to the feet of Jesus. Today is your day of salvation! Ask Jesus to be the Lord of your life, and confess your sins before Him. Invite Him to change your heart and re-create you from the inside out.

Second, have you given up on your friends, family, co-workers, nation? Do you find yourself with rocks in your pocket more than arms extended to take them to Jesus? If so, repent. Drop your rocks. Run to Mercy, and begin to take others with you. Pray for one another, serve one another, and forgive one another.

Thirdly, would you lift this ministry up in prayer, and ask God to open the doors to the hearts of people so that they will come to know the Mercy of God and experience the salvation, healing, and deliverance through Jesus?

When you open your eyes after prayer, I hope you see yourself at the feet of Jesus, here with the adulterous woman, here with the proud Pharisees, the downtrodden and outcasts who realized that His love is better than life, and His mercy is worth running to.

To hear Reinhard Bonnke preach about the woman caught in adultery, click this link here.