The Woman Caught in Adultery

Remember the woman who months ago gave birth to a premie baby? He is now a healthy 6 month old baby! Remember me sharing that this baby was born out of an adulterous relationship? The prospects were dim. Fear that her other children would be taken away was real. Shame was evident. Insecurity of her future was looming. Hope was nowhere in her sight. Hunger was a daily source of concern (I was providing her meals for weeks along with another worker because her family shunned her). Well, I want to share with you today that God did not give up on this woman or her family. He has continued to show himself faithful to her. Not only is she regularly employed as a language helper for two adults in town (me being one), which has provided for her daily needs of feeding her children, but her husband finally returned. I had the opportunity to confront her about her sin and the need for her to take responsibility, act humbly, and ask for forgiveness. When all the respected family elders around her were encouraging her to say nothing, she chose to ask her husband’s forgiveness after three days of me talking to her. I shared the story of the woman caught in adultery, assured her that she can be forgiven of her sins, but that Jesus commands us to sin no more. God provided an opportunity for a local believer from her people group to pray with her and then challenge her when passing her on the road after my conversation with her. In the end, her husband forgave her and chose to keep her as his wife. Is the story over? No. Is everything easy now? No. But we are seeing small steps towards reconciliation – not just in the earthly marriage relationship of this couple but also in my friend’s spiritual life. Continue to pray for her to be humble, for God to open her eyes to all that He is, and for her husband to have an opportunity to hear the gospel and choose to follow Jesus. Praise God with me for the ways He has made himself evident in a situation that at one time appeared to be completely hopeless!