CELERY
Luke 7: 41-44, 47
Two people were in debt to a certain creditor; one owed five hundred days’ wages* and the other owed fifty. Since they were unable to repay the debt, he forgave it for both. Which of them will love him more? ”Simon said in reply, “The one, I suppose, whose larger debt was forgiven.” … “Do you see this woman? When I entered your house, you did not give me water for my feet, but she has bathed them with her tears and wiped them with her hair… So I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven; hence, she has shown great love.
This bible passage has broadened my view of salvation. Thank God he saves me from my narrow-mindedness and myopic self. I easily judge, get impatient, and angry quickly.
God, on the other hand, is love. He is all-embracing and abounds in kindness, forgiveness, and mercy. How marvelous that God loves me as I am – with all my strengths and flaws. He does not ever condemn me if I repent over my sinfulness. At best, it pleases him when I give him my total self or love him the best way I can – just like the woman mentioned in Luke.
In “My Utmost for His Highest,” Oswald Chambers stated that “what shines forth and reveals God in your life is not your relative consistency to an idea of what a saint should be, but your genuine, living relationship with Jesus Christ, and your unrestrained devotion to him whether you are well or sick.”
Chambers said it well. As long as I have a personal relationship with God, he is real in my life. I learn to listen to his voice in prayer and through others who experience him in their own lives. My friendship with God grows and deepens as I recognize and accept his plans for me. However, the ultimate test is whether or not I choose to cooperate with him or refuse to follow his agenda over mine.
They say a saint is a sinner who never stops trying. I believe that to “never stop trying” is to keep reaching out for God’s mercy each time we have chosen our own agenda over his plan.
As I see it now, one’s response daily to God’s calling is what makes the difference between a sinner and a saint.
