FORGIVENESS THROUGH JESUS

When a Pharisee named Simon invited Jesus to dinner, Jesus accepted the invitation and went to his house. As He sat down to eat, an uninvited sinful woman entered, knelt at Jesus's feet, and began to weep. Her tears fell on His feet, which she wiped with her hair. Then, she kept kissing His feet and anointing them with expensive perfume. When Simon saw this, he thought to himself, "If Jesus were a prophet, He would know what kind of woman is touching Him; she is a sinner." However, Jesus, realizing what was in Simon's mind, said to Simon, "Look at this woman kneeling here. When I entered your home, you didn't offer me water to wash the dust from my feet, but she has washed them with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You didn't greet me with a kiss, but from the time I first came in, she has not stopped kissing my feet. You neglected the courtesy of olive oil to anoint my head, but she has anointed my feet with rare perfume. I tell you, her sins—and they are many—have been forgiven, so she has shown me much love. But a person who is forgiven little shows only little love." Then Jesus said to the woman, "Your sins are forgiven (Luke 7:36-48)."

During Jesus' time, it was customary for guests to be provided with water and a towel to wash their feet upon entering a home. Since sandals were commonly worn and most roads were unpaved, people often arrived with dusty and muddy feet. In this context, Simon did not offer Jesus any water when He entered his house. However, a sinful woman, who was uninvited, came to Jesus and washed His feet with her tears and expensive perfume. In that culture, a kiss on the face was a sign of respect and affection. The woman kissed Jesus' feet, demonstrating her deep respect, submission, and love for Him. Out of the woman's desperation, she needed God's forgiveness to change and rescue her life from the emptiness and meaningless life that she was in. The woman presented to Jesus her most valuable possession, the costly perfume. It was a sign of surrendering her whole worth to Jesus. The woman was looking for a new beginning and a fresh start in life, and she found it in Jesus. After this event, she likely became one of Jesus' disciples. 

When we stray from the path because of sin, the only way to restore our godly life is to turn back to Jesus and wholeheartedly submit ourselves to Him. God's forgiveness is always available to those who humble themselves before Him. There is always a fresh start available in our Lord Jesus.

Questions for application: (Think through these questions carefully, meditate on them while answering them, and let the Spirit of God speak to you.) What can I learn from the sinful woman in the story? What must I do to restore my life to God? What happens to me if I continue to live in sin?

Take a moment to write down all your worries today. Then, lift them up to God in prayer, surrendering them to His will and trusting in His guidance.

Prayer:

Dear Father in Heaven, I humbly come before you today, acknowledging my sins. Please forgive me of all the sins that I have committed and restore my life to the right path. Please continue to change my heart and renew my mind so that I may not stray from your ways. Thank you for forgiving me and answering my prayers. In your name, Jesus, I pray. Amen.