“Because He first loved me.”
Recently, I read an article about a man who was publicly exposed in a sin, and the writer of the article made sure to emphasize how despicable the act was. When I read these words, “How could that man do such a thing?” shame washed over me. For I too had once committed a similar sin. In my case, thankfully, my sin remained hidden, and has now for more than fifty years. I take no pride in what I’ve done, the many times I’ve sinned against God. Quite the contrary, I only feel shame. Truth be told, I have many other skeletons in my closet, that if exposed, would bring me much embarrassment and ridicule. In my heart, I know I’ve been forgiven. David wrote in Psalm 103:11-12, “For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His lovingkindness toward those who fear Him. As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.” Praise God for his grace!
But still, the images of my sin remain in my mind, locked away, never to see the light of day. I can do nothing to remove them, and sometimes the memories of what I’ve done return. I’ve thought of what it would feel like to have all my sins exposed, like the man in the article, me standing naked before the world. It seems that most of the sins I commit, or have committed, are of the hidden variety, but even though they may be hidden from man, they are not hidden from God, the one I’ve sinned against. The sobering reality is, God knows my every deed and thought. Hebrews 4:13, “ And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.” After reading the article, I began pondering God, and soon a story from scripture came to my mind. It seems there was an “immoral woman,” with much to be ashamed of, who came to Jesus. What she did, is written in Luke 7:36-50.
Jesus was invited to dine in a Pharisee’s home. A woman in the city, described as a sinner (and who wasn’t?), or an “immoral woman,” (indicating sexual sin) found out Jesus would be eating at the man’s home, and so she brought an alabaster vial of perfume, and while Jesus reclined at the table, scripture says, “…and standing behind Him at His feet, weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears, and kept wiping them with the hair of her head, and kissing His feet, and anointing them with the perfume.” What a beautiful picture this is. Why would she do that? Why would she weep at Jesus’ feet? I believe I know, because I too have wept tears of repentance at the feet of my redeemer. And I look forward to the day I can meet him face to face in heaven, when he will wipe away all my tears. Like the man who wrote the article, the Pharisee was disgusted by this immoral woman, and shocked that Jesus would allow her, a sinner, to touch him. This woman’s sins had been exposed to the world. Everyone knew she was a sinner. But Jesus, knowing the man’s thoughts, confronted him with a parable.
Jesus said to the Pharisee, “A certain moneylender had two debtors: one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. When they were unable to repay, he graciously forgave them both. Which of them therefore will love him more?” The man guessed correctly when he said, “I suppose the one whom he forgave more.” Jesus commended the man for answering correctly, and turning toward the woman, he said to the man, “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 she, since the time I came in, has not ceased to kiss My feet. You did not anoint My head with oil, but she anointed My feet with perfume. For this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little.” Jesus then said to the woman, “Your sins have been forgiven.
This woman knew who she was. A hopeless sinner. She came to Jesus for just that reason; she needed forgiveness for the sins in her life, the many sins that would not leave her mind. She was forgiven much. I too have been forgiven much. Jesus has forgiven my innumerable sins, most of which man will never know, which is why I love him so. As Paul wrote in Romans 5:8, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” And that is why I sing this song, with tears in my heart:
O how I love Jesus,
O how I love Jesus,
O how I love Jesus,
because he first loved me!
If you enjoyed this article, you might also enjoy my book, Pondering God.
Pondering God 