Sunday

Ahab and God had a long history. The Bible tells us that Ahab was more wicked than any other king of Israel. Yet despite Ahab’s wickedness, God approached him in love. When Samaria was surrounded by Aramean forces, God miraculously delivered the city. But Ahab refused to give God credit. A year later, the Arameans attacked near Aphek. Again God gave Ahab victory, but again the king refused to acknowledge God’s help. Ahab went too far when he allowed Naboth’s death. His crime was as horrific as Timothy McVey’s crime. Ahab was deserving of the same fate. Yet when Ahab repented with deep humility; God took notice and reduced his punishment.

“Because he has humbled himself
I will not bring disaster in his day,
but I will bring it on his house in
the days of his son.”

The same Lord who was merciful to Ahab wants to be merciful to you and me. No matter how evil you have been, it is never too late to humble yourself, turn to God, and ask for forgiveness.

This becomes so evident in Luke’s story where he contrasts the Pharisee Simon with the sinful woman. Simon had committed several social errors in neglecting to wash Jesus’ feet, a courtesy extended to guests because sandaled feet got very dirty. Other common courtesies were to anoint the guest’s head with oil and offer him the kiss of greeting.

Did Simon feel that he was too good to treat Jesus as an equal? The sinful woman, by contrast, lavished tears, expensive perfume, and kisses on her Savior. In this story it is the grateful prostitute, and not the stingy religious leader, whose sins are forgiven. Although it is God’s grace through faith that saves us, and not acts of love or generosity, this woman’s act demonstrated her future faith, and Jesus honored her faith.

Overflowing love is the natural response to forgiveness and the appropriate consequence of faith. But only those who realize the depth of their sin can appreciate the complete forgiveness God offers them. Jesus has rescued all of his followers, whether they were once extremely wicked or conventionally good, from eternal death. Do you appreciate the wideness of God’s mercy? Are you grateful for his forgiveness?

“Therefore, I tell you,
her many sins have been forgiven -
for she loved much.
But he who has been forgiven little
loves little.”

Debbie Childers author and founder of Deeper Walk Ministries shared the following story about her father’s death.

“On the morning after my Daddy’s death, we faced the horrible task of choosing his clothes to take to the funeral home. My mother selected his suit, shirt and tie but I realized this task was too much for her to bear. Offering my help, she left the room and told me to fetch his black dress shoes that matched his suit. When I looked down to the floor of the closet where he kept the shoes, my eyes fell upon the old wooden box that held his shoe shining equipment. As soon as I saw the box, my mind was flooded with the Sunday mornings of my childhood. I remember that Daddy never put on his suit without shining his shoes. One of the greatest highlights of my life was when he would allow me to shine his shoes. It made me feel so needed when Daddy would let me help. As I pulled his black shoes off the rack and placed them by his suit, I noticed they were scuffed and dull. Normally he would never have let his shoes get into this condition so I knew I had to shine his shoes. I knew that my Daddy would not want to wear a suit without his shoes shined perfectly. So with great love in my broken heart, I began to shine his shoes. As I did, my teardrops fell upon the shoes and I literally shined them with my tears.

At that moment, God reminded me of an account in Luke 7:36-38 of a woman who performed a similar task of love for Jesus.”

The woman saw the dirty feet, cracked and ragged from his journey. She fell to her knees and while weeping she washed Jesus’ feet with her tears, wiped them with her hair and poured expensive perfume on them. She hadn’t done this humble act to receive anything but rather it was out of love for Jesus and what He had done in her life.

What are your motives for serving God? Are they pure and totally based on your love for Him? Are you serving Him out of love, out of appreciation for the wideness of God’s mercy or obligation?

Debbie’s action, was it love or obligation? No one asked her to shine her father’s shoes. She would not get any glory or credit. She wanted to do it. God showed her that serving out of her love for father was the only reason she needed.

It is the same with our heavenly Father. God does not need anything from you or me. He is God Almighty, the Creator of everything and God could speak a whisper and it would be done. However, God gives you and me the privilege of serving Him out of His great love for us. God knows what joy it will bring us. God is motivated by His love for us. Are you motivated by your love for God?

Simply stated, Christians should be motivated to serve God out of their great love for him and their acts of service should simply be the overflow of their relationship with Jesus.

Amen