You Are Loved!

There are a few stories in the Bible that stir my heart every time I read them. The stories of Hannah and the woman at the well are two of them. Another one is the sinful woman who anoints Jesus' feet. It's found in Luke 7:36-50. I encourage you to read it in its entirety, but here's what I love about her today...

Jesus is at the home of Simon (a Pharisee, not to be mistaken with the disciple). Jesus has been invited to a meal and is reclined at the table. Imagine a small table just inches off the ground. Perhaps he is resting his upper body upon a pillow of sorts, his feet stretched out to the side of him. As he talks with those also around the table, a 'sinful' woman approaches him from behind- tears streaming as she kneels at his feet. She has come to anoint his feet with her most prized perfumes. Yet scripture seems to make a very clear point that her tears were what fell upon Jesus' feet.

I know those tears. The ones that are hot as they stream down your face. The ones that just spill out as if coming directly from your heart as a cleansing flood.

She knew her sin. She knew the depth to which she had fallen from the Father's love and her heart was repentant. I've been there. Have you? Repentance isn't just sorry. Repentance bows at the feet of Jesus and then looks straight into his loving eyes and says, "I'm sorry I hurt you. Please forgive me and never let me even go close to that sin again, Lord." The woman's heart cried out to be forgiven. And forgiven she was!

The reason I love this story is the same reason I love the other stories. I love the realness between the woman and Jesus. I love that she knew it was safe to approach him, even in public. I love that he does not condone her sin, but looks deep into her to see who she is in the Father's eyes; she is a beautiful, amazing woman of God! I'm sure she'd tried to leave her sin before. I'm assuming her lifestyle had become who she thought she was made to be. Her sin was her identity. But not to Jesus! He saw her heart by looking straight through her eyes into the depths of her soul. And there he saw beauty! And she knew she was loved! No expectations, no proving herself, just love.

As she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.... Jesus said to her, "Your sins are forgiven." Luke 7:38, 48

Dear Friend,
Go today knowing that you are loved deeply just for being you by an almighty, amazing God!