Greetings to you in the name of ‘the Way, the Truth, and the Life’, Jesus Christ – THE Risen Saviour! What a day in the Kingdom this going to be…and we are alive to see it, with senses to enjoy it, and a mind that can think-plan-ponder our way through it. I trust that you had a great weekend and a positive start to “Holy Week”! Are you ready to remember once again – the images of that first Easter with all of the people and events and lessons? I will be praying for you today, asking Father to reveal to you a fresh appreciation for what you already know about Easter and a ‘never noticed that before’ experience.
A favourite memory of Holy Week takes place at an evening dinner party with some very respectable guests present. I can envision the rather strained formality – Jesus had been invited, more as a courtesy or perhaps as a set-up. In the midst of the meal with the awkward conversations, a rather dis-respectable woman crashes the party in order to anoint the feet of Jesus. Now the host of the party had planned for everything but this and as you may recall, in the ensuing dialogue with Jesus ends up missing out on an opportunity of a spiritual lifetime.
Although this woman is not identified, other than to suggest she was a prostitute, I was wondering if this could have been the nameless woman that was thrown at the feet of Jesus having been caught in the act of adultery. If you remember she had been forgiven by Jesus and sent away to live a forgiven life. I wonder if she found her way into the house of one of her accusers, a changed woman who wanted to express real love to a man who believed in her and had transformed her. I wonder if she was taking this moment to testify to the saving and keeping power of Jesus.
I am reminded of a line from a devotional that I had read some time ago and brought back in my reading today: Strange isn’t that Pharisees were stubbornly fighting over their theology and how to interpret Old Testament laws while prostitutes were falling at the Saviour’s feet and slipping into the Kingdom of God on their tears. I can hear the profound simplicity of a song that I am sure you know – Jesus loves me and I know I love him -Love brought him down my poor soul to redeem – Yes it was love that made him die on the tree – Oh I am certain that Jesus loves me…I am so glad that Jesus loves me – Jesus loves me yes Jesus loves me – I am so glad that Jesus loves me – Jesus loves even me …Philip Bliss.
Have a great day – be blessed!