A response to Then Came Jesus by Lara Williams :: Week 3, Day 4

Then one of the Pharisees asked Him to eat with him. And He went to the Pharisee’s house, and sat down to eat. And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil, and stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil. Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he spoke to himself, saying, “This Man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what manner of woman this is who is touching Him, for she is a sinner.” And Jesus answered and said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” So he said, “Teacher, say it.” “There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more?” Simon answered and said, “I suppose the one whom he forgave more.” And He said to him, “You have rightly judged.” Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head. You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in. You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil. Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.” Then He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” And those who sat at the table with Him began to say to themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” Then He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.” (‭Luke‬ ‭7‬:‭36-50‬ NKJV)

She loved much because she was forgiven.

She was forgiven because she trusted His grace.

She trusted His grace because she was desperate.

She was desperate because she knew her final destination.

She knew her final destination because she recognized her sin.

She recognized her sin because she saw His holiness.

She saw His holiness because He revealed it to her,

And He revealed it to Her because He loved her.

And what does that love look like?

The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep. I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own. As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd. “Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.” Therefore there was a division again among the Jews because of these sayings. And many of them said, “He has a demon and is mad. Why do you listen to Him?” Others said, “These are not the words of one who has a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?” (‭John‬ ‭10‬:‭10-21‬ NKJV)

It is a love that only He can give.  It is a love that many will doubt and question.  It is a love that is unstoppable and unshakeable.  It is a love that protects us, disciplines us, comforts us, guides us, and so much more.

Jesus’ love says, “You are mine and I will rescue You from Hell by laying down my life for you.  I will conquer all for you.”

We love Him because He first loved us. (1 John 4:19 NKJV)

Lord, the more I am in your word the less I realize I need to say.  You’ve said it and done it all.  I don’t need to look anywhere else for the love my soul craves.  You provide it.  You explain it and I see it in Your word.  May You continue to reveal Yourself to me.  In Your name I pray.  Amen.

Are you reading Then Came Jesus or another advent study?  What is God revealing to you?  Please let me know by leaving a comment.  You can also find out more about Lara Williams and her book Then Came Jesus here.