View Site Map

Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw it, he said to himself, 'This man, if he were a prophet, would have perceived who and what kind of woman this is who touches him, that she is a sinner.' Jesus answered him, 'Simon, I have something to tell you.' He said, 'Teacher, say on.' 'A certain lender had two debtors. The one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. When they couldn't pay, he forgave them both. Which of them therefore will love him most?' Simon answered, 'He, I suppose, to whom he forgave the most.' He said to him, 'You have judged correctly.' Luke 7:39 WEB

The woman wept at the feet of Jesus and wiped His feet with her hair, while the highly religious Pharisee looked on in pure disdain. He was shocked that Jesus would allow such a person to touch even His feet. "Touch me not" was a big thing to religious people at the time. Those that were sinners, unclean, or diseased, were put out of the social circle. Yet Jesus touched them, and He allowed them to touch Him.

While the Pharisee pondered these things silently in his mind, Jesus told him the parable about two people that owed a certain money lender, one five hundred and the other fifty. Neither could pay it, so he forgave them both their debt. Then Jesus asked: 'Which of them would love him more?' The one who had the greater debt forgiven was the answer.

Then Jesus went on to tell the religious man that this lost person that had strayed from the path of virtue, loved God more than he ever did. Wow! That is a stark comparison of the warm heart of God towards the lost sinner, and the coldness of a religious actor towards the same person.

We often go by His name, but we do not carry His loving nature. God loves sinners and He welcomes them with open arms. Do not let organized, institutionalized religion turn you away from getting to know Him yourself. Also, do not let the things that you have been through make you feel unworthy of His love.

God can handle damaged goods. He was there when the damage took place, and you will never know how much He loves you until you surrender your heart to Him and let Him heal it. He can put your life back together again, where the others have only broken it.

Prayer: Heavenly Father please bring healing to my life. Heal my emotions, balance my mood swings, make me stable in You. Repair the damage Lord, I look to You for help. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray.

Note: Good morning! The Creation Photographers fun theme for the week is "All the Colors of March", based on Gen 9:13! As always, you are free to post anything else that inspires you, too! ALSO, the latest Bible Study covering part one of Luke Chapter Twenty-Four is now available! The quiz for the entire chapter will be available next week. For links to these areas and more, please see the Announcements at the top of our home page here: Announcements

> You can subscribe to our daily devotional here <