Anything And Everything

Luke 7:48 – Then Jesus said to her, "Your sins are forgiven." (NIV)

Like most churches, our congregation has a time of silence during the prayers of adoration and confession. It is a holy moment when we humbly approach God quietly to seek individually His pardon for the mistakes, faults, and sins that we each have committed since the last time that we came to God in prayer. I usually have so much to confess that I never get my petitions finished before the silence is broken by the Prayer Guide. However, as soon as we have concluded our prayers with the Lord's Prayer, there comes an even better moment: the promise of the gospel when all of us are assured of the forgiveness that Christ has obtained through His sacred sacrifice. It's that beautiful time when He speaks to our souls and says, "Your sins are forgiven."

The woman in the gospel story from Luke 7:36-50 who had lived a sinful life must have been waiting to hear those words of assurance for a long time. We do not know her name, but we do know that she sought Christ and lavished Him with her most precious possessions — her perfume, her hair, and her tears — in order to express her deep admiration of Jesus. Up till that point, her life had little meaning or purpose. She was treated badly, especially by the religious folks and leaders who should have known better. Christ's compassion for the woman is evident in how He responds. He forgives her sins and restores her as a favoured daughter of God. It is a wonderful moment of liberation and love; it is a lesson which continually teaches every generation about the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Perhaps, you are carrying a burden of guilt from the recent past or even from a long time ago. Perhaps, it overshadows your soul and depresses your spirit. Maybe, you can't forgive yourself for the wrong choice that you made or the hurt that you inflicted on others. Perhaps, your secret shame is a painful and heavy burden to bear. Please know this today: Christ is willing to hear your prayer of confession and sorrow in the quietness of your heart. Be assured: He forgives anything and everything that you or I have wrongfully committed; all we need to do is to ask Him for God's grace.

Points to ponder: What burdens do I still carry in my heart and mind? Am I willing to come to Christ to confess and receive His mercy, peace, and love?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, You know everything about us, and You are just waiting for us to approach You humbly with our confessions. You want to set us free from our captive and sinful past. You want us to experience a new beginning in our lives. Help us to seek Your forgiveness and compassion. In Your holy name, we pray. Amen.

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