Worship
“A certain creditor had two debtors; one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. When they could not pay, he canceled the debts for both of them. Now which of them will love him more? Simon answered, “I suppose the one for whom he canceled the greater debt.” And Jesus said to him, “You have judged rightly.”
—Luke 7:41-43
When it comes to the way we see those who seem to have a radical love for God, we either admire them or we think they are doing too much. But consider the parable above that Jesus told Simon the Pharisees.
In summary, the entire story begins with Jesus going into Simon’s house to eat with him. Shortly after afterward, a woman who Luke simply describes as “a sinner” came in and started washing Jesus’ feet with her tears and drying them with her hair.
Now it would have been proper custom for the Simon to give Jesus water to wash his feet upon entering his home, but Simon neglected that responsibility. In addition, Simon criticizes Jesus, saying that if he were truly a prophet, he would not let “a sinner” touch him.
So Jesus helps Simon to understand, that the woman knows she is a sinner, and that’s why she loves Jesus so much. I imagined that Jesus hoped that Simon would get the point, that the reason he doesn’t love Jesus as much the sinful woman does is because he doesn’t acknowledge his own sinful nature nor his need to be forgiven. Yet this woman called “a sinner” has fallen in love with Jesus and outwardly expresses it in her worship of him.
The key here is that people who know how much they need Christ are no better or worse than those who do not know. But could you imagine going to the bank and being told that all your debts were paid? If you have no debt, no big deal. But if you have a mortgage, student loans, business loans, or a car note, you would throw a party right on the spot!
In the same way those who love God and love their neighbor as much as they love themselves, cannot help but give their lives in service to God. They are not special, they are simply forgiven, and they know it! And when we stop judging the sins of others, we can fully acknowledge the baggage of sin that we too carry. A weight that Christ has paid the cost to free us from.
And it is true, all debts have been paid, all sins have been forgiven, and those who know it and feel the freedom that comes form that knowledge can’t stop shouting “Halleluyah!” as they live in service to God.
Before your attention leaves this devotion, take note of this; through this story the way God was worshiped had changed. Before this, priests (chosen by God to worship God) needed to go through purification rituals before engaging in worship. But now Jesus lets even “a sinner” cry at his feet and worship him. What mercy God has shown this generation, that we can come to him full of filth and experience God’s forgiveness of our sins! That is truly good news.
Heavenly Father,
I thank you for the price you sent Christ to pay, to wash away not only my sins, but my desire to sin uncontrollably; thank you for your forgiveness. Help me as I continue to strive to do better each day, because I know that it impossible to get everything right. Help us all to appreciate what you have done and to extend the same grace to others. You are truly worthy to dwell in every moment and every situation of our lives, and so we worship you. In Jesus Name, Amen!