Forgiveness and Love

“A certain immoral woman heard Jesus was there and brought a beautiful jar filled with expensive perfume. Then she knelt behind him at his feet, weeping. Her tears fell on his feet, and she wiped them off with her hair. Then she kept kissing his feet and putting perfume on them.” Luke 7:37,38

She washed Christ’s feet with the tears of grateful love. Jesus had pardoned all her sins, had absolved her from their guilt, and had released her from their power. How natural was the feeling of gratitude, how appropriate this service of love!

The most genuine contrition for sin flows from a sense of its forgiveness. Nothing breaks the heart so thoroughly as the experience of God’s pardoning love, love flowing from a sight of the cross!

Octavius Winslow from “The Disciple Washing Christ’s Feet”

I read this today and cried. "Would He devote that sacred head, For such a worm as I?" I was that immoral woman who could only weep at His holy feet. I was that woman He helped up from the dusty ground despite the Pharisees' stone-clenching hands. I was that woman. I am now that woman who still weeps, because it is so far from my feeble mind's ability to grasp this thing He has done, and continues to do, for me and in me. Thank you, Jesus.

"Thus might I hide my blushing face
While His dear cross appears;
Dissolve my heart in thankfulness,
And melt mine eyes to tears.

But drops of grief can ne'er repay
The debt of love I owe:
Here, Lord, I give myself away-
'Tis all that I can do!"