I am so thankful that we worship a Saviour that is Lord of Second Chances. If our Lord judged us as man sometimes judges others we would have no hope at all. Mans judgement is sure and biased but the Lords judgement concerning us today is one full of love, hope and second chances.
Consider an occurrence described in the Gospel of Luke in the 7th chapter. Simon a Pharisee had invited Jesus to sup with him. The reason for the invitation is not discussed but it doesn’t take much speculation that the Pharisee did not cast the invitation for heart felt conversation with Jesus but probably as an attempt to show others how important the Pharisee was.
But a really unusual event took place when an uninvited guest made her appearance. Love for the Saviour filled her heart and life and her love for Him was shown by her works and not her words. She approached the Saviour as He was seated at supper and with out great fanfare she began to wash His feet with her tears and dried His feet with her hair. Then she took the most prized possession she had, broke the Alabaster box and let the oil flow from the top of His head and the beautiful smell must have filled the room. Love for her Saviour was her object and therefore her actions showed the deep feelings she had for Him.
But you she, evidently this love had not always been a part of her life. Under his breath, Simon began to think “This man, if He were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that touched Him, for she is a sinner.” Evidently the past of the woman was well known among the people of the town. Her deeds go unannounced but all knew her past and the uninvited guest’s reputation followed her wherever she went.
But obviously somewhere, sometime, forgiveness had came into her life and the knowledge of Her Saviour came from the throne room of glory and was placed within her very soul. And a feeling she had never known washed over her soul and over her feelings and she felt something that she had never felt before. Forgiveness for her sins replaced the dark, foreboding that she had known and the knowledge of the power of a forgiving Saviour was now the focus of her mind and of the walk of her life. And this beautiful feeling brought her right to where He dined and the thankfulness and love that comes only from He who can forgive sins, brought love to her actions and communing with Him brought joys she had never known before.
I want some of what she has. I want the feeling that can only come from the understanding that He is a Saviour of love and of second chances. I want to put the past behind me, mark the spot where I’ve gained the knowledge of Him being a Saviour of second chances and feel the depth of love for Him and His people that maybe I’ve never felt before.
I want to let go of hurts of the past, of guilt from past sins, of grudges and bad feelings that I may have harbored for years and let them go and bask in the love of a Saviour of love and of second chances.
How about you?