I was reading in Luke this morning and a small line of part of a verse stuck out to me unlike the dozens of times I had read it before.
Let's get the context first. Luke 7:40-50
And Jesus responded and said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he replied, “Say it, Teacher.” “A moneylender had two debtors: the one owed five hundred denarii, and the other, fifty. When they were unable to repay, he canceled the debts of both. So which of them will love him more?” Simon answered and said, “I assume the one for whom he canceled the greater debt.” And He said to him, “You have judged correctly.” And turning toward the woman, He said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has wet My feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You gave Me no kiss; but she has not stopped kissing My feet since the time I came in. You did not anoint My head with oil, but she anointed My feet with perfume. For this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much; but the one who is forgiven little, loves little.” And He said to her, “Your sins have been forgiven.” And then those who were reclining at the table with Him began saying to themselves, “Who is this man who even forgives sins?” And He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”
At no point in this discourse do we know what drew this woman to Jesus.
At no point in this discourse do we hear her speak.
At no point in this discourse does Jesus ask her anything.
At no point is it necessary for anything to be said outloud to Jesus at all.
But He's God! He already knows!
Way too many people, claiming that they are Christians, live life in total complacency in that one statement. They miss that tiny part of a verse at the beginning of this part. "but the one who is forgiven little, loves little.” And He said to her, “Your sins have been forgiven.”"
Love is tied to forgiveness. Not at all what the world calls love. Rather what God calls love.
She never once tried to defend herself.
She at no point tried to make excuses.
She, in total humility, was doing what she thought would help in her being granted mercy, the favor of her Savior.
I am imminently aware of my sins, my shame, and my shortcomings. I, more times than not, have no way, no words to speak, in my time after sinning, to offer to Jesus as to why I did what I did.
Alone in a house people sin. It is inescapable.
In a crowd people sin. It is inescapable.
Ignoring it does not make it go away.
Being preoccupied by sports, hobbies, fantasy and fiction, will not make your need to be forgiven go away.
Maybe this hit a chord with you. Maybe you are so miserable inside you don't know what to say to Jesus.
My Dear Reader, please know and understand, you are in good company!
I, like all breathing humans, are constantly reminded of my shortcomings by Satan or his minions. Satan is still trying to subtly change the world view of himself. He wants the adoration and worship that belongs to God. He wants the Throne of God.
I cannot live this life granted to me in my own strength and wisdom. I do not know why I was born other than to say that I needed to be in order for Christ to save me and give me opportunity to tell others about Him.
I really do, as I get older, relate to the wisdom of Solomon in what he wrote in Ecclesiastes. Vanity of vanities all is vanity. There is nothing new under the sun. People today are no different than they have been for centuries. Living for self is always first. Living in sin is how life is until such people learn about and find Jesus. Selfish living leads to evil living. Evil people consumed the Earth before the Lord Jesus wiped it clean with the flood.
We are advancing in science and belief of things that have nothing to do with God. Explaining away everything through science. Science used to filter everything through the Scriptures back when universities began.
Satan is striving to manipulate mankind to create life of his own. You've heard of it, it's called Artificial Intelligence. No moral compass that God has wired into the human heart and mind. As Scripture says a fool says in his heart that there is no God.
You are here in the here and now for a reason that only God knows.
You are not alone. God is always everywhere
You who feel oppressed by sin and don't know what to do, read again what all this woman did. Words were not necessary for her to be forgiven.
We waste so much time, energy and effort in looking to people and things to keep from acknowledging what amounts to sin in our lives that needs dealt with. We blame society, drugs, disease, famine, natural disasters, everything except the root cause which is a life that needs Christ. Take the blame rather than making excuses for it. Get on your knees and just come to Christ in your looking for answers. You probably don't know what words to use...it matters not. Asking for forgiveness is always understood by Jesus.
I leave you with this thought. Rather than rushing around today, rather than intentionally occupying your mind, stop. Just call on Jesus and He will be there.
Just get real before Him.
Just weep if that's all you know to do.
Just stop avoiding it because that, while it won't make it worse, will prevent you from getting those burdens lifted that you have carried for so long.
Note also that unlike others, Jesus never asked her what she wanted.
Maybe you feel trapped. Living a lie and know not how to get out. Prayer goes to where you cannot and can say what you don't know how. You'll be surprised at just how powerful "Jesus, help me!" really is.
Maybe you're living a life that isn't fraught with problems. Even more of a reason to pray: Jesus help me!
Many times Jesus taught on the blindness of people. Of them loving the darkness rather than the light. Ignorance is not bliss in regards to sin.
Every single second people are pouring into Hell not understanding how they got there. Yet all understand once they are told where they are. The Grace and Mercy of God is what they rejected in the life that had been theirs to live.
In your pain and sorrow don't turn your back on the grace and mercy of God. Call out to the one who promised to never leave you nor forsake you once you ask Him for His free gift of Salvation.
I know loneliness very well. More than anyone on Earth has ever known of me. I know what it's like to be alone in a crowded place. I know what it's like to crave a companion in life so much that it hurts. I know what not being understood in life is all about. I know what disappointment is like. I know.
But what's the most important thing to me is that Jesus knows and Jesus understands. I don't have anything to fear in being real with Him. If there was nobody left on Earth who cared about me, Jesus would and always will.
While I hide my sorrows from the world, I don't with Jesus.
While I often don't know what to say about my sin, I know Jesus knows and Jesus forgives.
While today's post wasn't from a devotional, it's from my heart. I sincerely hope it helps someone today or at some point in the future.
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