Scripture and Prayer focus for September 16, 2026

 September 16 -- John 8: 3-11 "The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst they said to him, 'Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. Now in the Law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?' This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, 'Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.' And once more he bent down and wrote on the ground. But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. Jesus stood up and said to her, 'Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?' She said, 'No one, Lord.' And Jesus said, 'Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.'"

Prayer focus for today: The story of the woman caught in adultery has many twists and turns, possibly even mimicking your own life or your favorite streaming show. However, it shows each one of us the personal side of Jesus -- the only one that matters. The woman was brought to him for condemnation by the religious leaders, yet Jesus, in His own special way, pointed out to the leaders that ALL of us are sinful beings in need of forgiveness and hope. While we don't know what He wrote in the ground, some speculate it was the sins of the religious leaders. Others suspect it might have been specific scriptures addressing their sins. Whatever it was, THAT wasn't the focus (if it was, God would have had His words written down). What was important were his final words to the woman brought before Him, "Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more."  These are His words to each of us still today. He doesn't condemn, He teaches. He calls us to Himself. He loves. He forgives. Yet we are also commanded - from now on sin no more. 

Pray today that each of us will take time away from the "usual" of our day and truly ask Jesus to reveal to us the sin in our lives. Pray for that 'next layer' to be peeled back where we would clearly see sin as sin and ask Jesus to forgive us and guide us on the path that would never let us return there. Pray for honest hearts to seek forgiveness from those we have wronged and the strength to 'go and sin no more'.