Friday, April 15, 2005

How Much Do I Need?

We are to discuss the adulterous woman in John 8 in our small group study Sunday night. Jesus clearly offered love and grace before he expected obedience from this woman he loved. He does the same for us, doesn't he? We so often get it backwards, trying to earn his grace by our obedience. That is a prescription for failure, guilt, pride, and so many other things we struggle with.

But here is what hit me this morning as I was reading this wonderful story of love....how much love and grace did I require before I gave Him my heart? For this woman, this one incident was evidently enough. Some scholars believe she is the woman that washes Jesus's feet in Luke 7....the one Jesus said of "I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven.....for she loved much." When God captures your heart, what other choice do have but to love Him and show your love by being obedient? I believe He will keep offering love and grace till he captures our hearts, no matter how long it takes. And the amazing thing is that it doesn't stop there, it only continues to grow. Kinda like with your children, huh?

Imagine that!

5 Comments:

At 5:20 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

David -

I read this note yesterday, but it wasn't until I went back to read it today that I realized how profound the story - and your thoughts - really are in speaking of Jesus' grace and love to us and for us BEFORE obedience of any kind on our part.

How far do you think that really extends? I'm curious. Even before we are baptized or have repented? That would certainly not be a typical cofC thing to say. But, you really raise some interesting issues here when you stop to think about it.

I've always been blown away by this incident, myself (one of my absolute favorites), but for somewhat different reasons than you address. Now, I've got even more reason to be "blown away" by Jesus' unending love and compassion and grace as shown here.

I'd sure like to be in your small group Sunday evening when you talk about all of this! You'll have to post again on it afterward. Please do.

 
At 7:12 PM, Blogger jettybetty said...

Yep, I think you are correct--kind of blows me away to think God could love me that much--before I even knew what obedience was. It's much more what God does, that what I do! Imagine that! JB

 
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