Forgive much because we Love much

7 December. Day 7.

At the end of November, I set myself a goal of writing each day whilst reading through these 24 chapters of Luke. It has been so wonderful setting out to accomplish this, and as I mentioned in my previous post, has not been the easiest thing to do daily. In life I think there are many moments where we place an expectation on or for something, we set a goal, we put a plan in place, and sometimes things don’t work out the way we planned. Sometimes things don’t happen the way we expected and sometimes we don’t reach our goal. And that’s ok! To forgive ourselves is one of the greatest things we can learn to do.

Forgiveness. An amazing idea. An amazing process. At times a hard thing to act upon.

Luke chapter 7 records the phenomenal, life changing encounter of the sinful women who chooses to anoint Jesus’ feet with a lifetime savings of perfume. What a complete act of sacrificial worship. Lets read the text below to see the consequence to her action.

Verse 41-49 reads, “”A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed him five hundred denarii (the currency of the day), and the other fifty. When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?” Simon answered, “The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt.”And he said to him, “You have judged rightly.” Then turning towards the woman he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. You did not annoint my head with oil, but she has annointed my feet with ointment. Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven – for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” And he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” {ESV}

I am astounded by the short and simple consequence to her action revealed in verse 47. “Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven – for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.”

She loved much! And her many sins were forgiven.

This advent, can we love much and can we also forgive much?

Can we forgive much because we love much?