Luke 7:36-50 (NIV)

When one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. A woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume. As she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.

When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner.”

Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.”

“Tell me, teacher,” he said.

“Two people owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he forgave the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?”

Simon replied, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt forgiven.”

“You have judged correctly,” Jesus said.

Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.”

Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”

The other guests began to say among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”

Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

Reflection

We are invited into a life of worship because of all that Jesus has done for us.We are His crew and therefore all the blessings of God have been poured out on us.But the means to this type of worship is quite contrary to what we or even the world may think, in fact it can seem scandalous in many ways.This story, this encounter, this woman found the means to real worship.By grace she recognized her need and inadequacy to truly worship God, and in turn feel at the feet of the only one who could touch, heal and transform her life.Grace, mercy, forgiveness, and faith…“go in peace.” The woman’s heart was so undone, transformed, and healed by the Lord’s touch in her life.There was no other “reasonable” response for her than to reciprocate what she had received from him in such loving adoration and extravagant worship.Now that is real worship!

Responding to the Transmission

Today we are invited once again into ‘real worship’ by the grace of God, and in the salvation of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.Let’s come before the Lord with our ‘many sins and wrong ways’ so we can be touched afresh in His forgiveness, healing, transformation, and peace. Let’s pray that in turn our lives will be a living response of real and extravagant worship to our God.Pray for an overflow that stirs those around us to also come and know our Lord. Receive from Him deeply and ‘go in His peace’ today, extravagantly expressing your love for Him…that will be real worship!