Love Sonnets from God: Romance Casts No Stones.

Day 14 of the 21 Days of Romance Challenge.

I was awoken from my bed; men, claiming religious authority-- they came in and pulled me out from my home, roughly yanking at my clothes and pushing me toward the temple. The sun beat down onto my scalp, the world swayed around me as my feet stumbled and drug to keep up. Cries of adultery spit in my face, until I was shoved into His presence. In my disheveled garments, I felt naked.

They cried, "this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?”

My face burned scarlet, hot, thick tears ran down my face as I braced for the sharp sting of the rock against my skin. I winced from the Man’s gaze.

But He kept His eyes down. He was quiet, drawing something in the sand. Did He hear them? I stood waiting as if time itself was in His hands. My shoulders trembled.

Then with His gentle eyes, He looked up, seemed to look into each heart all at once. “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.”

One by one, they all left. The oldest, the youngest, all were gone until it was just Him and I-- alone. My tear streaked face looked shamefully up to Him. He stood and asked me, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?”

I answered, “No one, Lord.”

I stood before the One without sin. The One man who could have thrown a stone. He could have reached for one. I deserved it. But He looked at me with love. He said, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.”

It was me there, you too, standing before Christ, accused. Accused: katēgoros-- specifically Satan-- the accuser. He is always the accuser, and he uses the voices in the crowd to tell us our identity, only his message is only half right: Iam the sinner, but am no longer bound to that life. He must take me before Christ to throw stones. In Him I have a new name, a new identity. I am no longer condemned. I am loved deeply, because that is what He is. The accuser has no more stones to throw.

Jesus gives me my identity. His love affirms. He takes away my black letters of sin, and pins on His scarlet letters: F for forgiven, R for redeemed, C for child of God, B for beautiful-- L for loved. The one who could condemn, He gives me a new identity. He wraps me in His cloak, so that I have access to the Father in His name.

¹⁹ “Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, ²⁰ by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, ²¹ and since we have a great priest over the house of God, ²² let us draw near to God with a sincere heart…” (Hebrews 10)

Love gives us a new name, new identity. I walked to the front of a chapel, May 12^th, 2001 as Amy Joy Udd, and came out on his arm, as Mrs. Evan Lamson—a new name. And I carry His name too. A great romance gives us a new identity.

2 Corinthians 2:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”

I ask for affirmation, do you love me? The woman at the well questioned if Christ knew her identity at all. She was a Samaritan woman. Why would a Jew associate with her? “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” She knew her identity. And He gave her a new one. He gave her hope in His identity. She said to Him, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.”

Jesus answers her, “I, the one speaking to you—I am he.”

His love answers to our deepest fears. When I’ve been called unlovable, He speaks to me holding no stones. When words of love, of worth have been silent, He speaks to me through His word calling me: beautiful, lovable.

The King is enthralled by your beauty. –Psalm 45:11

The LORD your God is with you,
he is mighty to save.
He will take great delight in you,
he will quiet you with his love,
he will rejoice over you with singing.” — Zephaniah 3:17

Lord, may I look to You for love. May I look to You for identity. And may I live in it. May I not hide behind a veil of shame, wince from the stones, shy away from love. But may I love, may I affirm all new identities You give to others through purest love. May my life affirm to the world what You died for. May my life affirm to my children how loved by You they are. May I never bring them to Your feet accusing. May I never bring my husband to Your feet, placing a stone in Your hand. May I never cast rocks. May I just love. May I stop looking at old identities; accusations fall silent from my lips. Help me to speak to the new creations. This is the purest form of romance found in Your words today, showing unconditional love to the sinner, because we all are. I have no stones to cast. Romance is loving the imperfect, undeserving—and loving wholly. Because You, who were perfect, did not cast a stone.

Your love sonnet to me today, words spoken as much to my heart as much as hers, “Neither do I condemn you.” My love sonnet: having a new identity, as His bride.

“In Christ Alone”

In Christ alone my hope is found,
He is my light, my strength, my song;
this Cornerstone, this solid Ground,
firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
when fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My Comforter, my All in All,
here in the love of Christ I stand.