Jesus & You [On Hold]

❦We Love Because HE First Loved Us!❦

"We love because He first loved us" [1 John 4:19]

"I loved you at your darkest" [Romans 5:8]

               How great and wonderful is God's love for us. His love overcomes and is everlasting, never ending with its pureness and intensity. It is amazing that such a wonderful, unconditional love is given to us without expecting nothing back. In this passage from The Bible we see God's unconditional love and how it would differ from the way we see, treat, and behave around people. 

              In the New Century Version (Luke 7:36-50), we see the passage where Jesus goes to the house of one of the Pharisee's whose name is Simon, at that precise moment a sinful woman comes forward and does a very humble act. An act where she recognizes the only ONE that can forgive her of her sins for her to be free. 

                36 One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to eat with him, so Jesus went into the Pharisee's house and sat at the table. 37 A sinful woman in the town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee's house. So she brought an alabaster jar of perfume 38 and stood behind Jesus at his feet, crying. She began to wash his feet with her tears, and she dried them with her hair, kissing them many times and rubbing them with the perfume. 39 When the Pharisee who asked Jesus to come to his house saw this, he thought to himself, "If Jesus were a prophet, he would know that the woman touching him is a sinner!"

                  Everyone is quick to judge the one that comes forward and is covered in dirt, in those times it was like this. The Pharisees didn't associate themselves with the sinners. But Jesus, our Jesus is so different. His love and compassion embrace everyone and He doesn't love us for what we are, but for what He can help us become. Let's see what Jesus said to Simon knowing His thoughts.

40 Jesus said to the Pharisee, "Simon, I have something to say to you."

Simon said, "Teacher, tell me."

41 Jesus said, "Two people owed money to the same banker. One owed five hundred denarii and the other owed fifty. 42 They had no money to pay what they owed, but the banker told both of them they did not have to pay him. Which person will love the banker more?"

43 Simon, the Pharisee, answered, "I think it would be the one who owed him the most money."

Jesus said to Simon, "You are right." 44 Then Jesus turned toward the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? When I came into your house, you gave me no water for my feet, but she washed my feet with her tears and dried them with her hair. 45 You gave me no kiss of greeting, but she has been kissing my feet since I came in. 46 You did not put oil on my head, but she poured perfume on my feet. 47 I tell you that her many sins are forgiven, so she showed great love. But the person who is forgiven only a little will love only a little."

                 This part is the one that always touches my heart, such wonderful, compassionate, and unconditional love is the one that Jesus has for us. He loves us first, Jehovah loves us first, so much, no words in this world can have the true meaning of the love of The Father for His people. 

                      Those who come and humbled before Him knowing that He would not reject them, that He would receive them, clean them and make them feel love, are not put aside. He takes care of them, loves them, gives them hope and a better life. This woman knew WHO to come to. She knew who she needed to reach. She knew how much she had sinned and how big her debt was with God. She knew what the payment for her sins was and she was so grateful when Jesus forgave those sins and took them away. Jesus knowing that He would have to pay for those sins of hers at the cross didn't even blink or hesitated before her to give her that freedom she needed and the love that her heart screamed for.

48 Then Jesus said to her, "Your sins are forgiven."

49 The people sitting at the table began to say among themselves, "Who is this who even forgives sins?"

50 Jesus said to the woman, "Because you believed, you are saved from your sins. Go in peace."

                   So now I tell you if you have come to Father, through Jesus Christ our Savior. He would be the one to take you way from everything and clean you. He would rescue you, His love would reach down and take you away from that place of darkness. His love will consume your soul and you will never be the same. He will conquer and ravish your heart with His kindness and generosity. You will never meet someone else like Him. He loved you even in your sin and He didn't want you to be captive to it. So now, come forward to the grace of The Lord and find peace. Because your sins have being forgiven.

                                                                         *************

The song below, is one of my favorites. 

How Can It Be - Lauren Daigle. Enjoy!