Sunday, October 26, 2025
Luke
7:37-38
37 And, behold, a woman in the city, which was
a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee's
house, brought an alabaster box of ointment,
38 And stood at his feet behind him
weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them
with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the
ointment.
The woman is only described by
Luke as “a sinner.” Her
sins are not named but we get the impression that she was what we might call a
“street walker” with quite a reputation. Her tears, her humble attitude, and
her expensive gift all spoke of a changed heart. We are not told when or how
this woman came to repentance. Perhaps it was when Jesus gave the invitation to
the weary to “come unto me … and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28-30)
When our sins become so heavy that we can no longer carry them, we
must find a place to lay them down. When our rebellion is found to be more
painful than returning to divine authority, we will return. When the grief for
what we have done far outweighs the pleasure we had sought, we will cry.
All my friends are sinners! Every one of them. I’ve seen
many of them at the altar weeping. As
their pastor, I am both glad and sad to see these tears. I am glad because I
know that God welcomes the humble and resists the stubborn. (1 Peter 5:5) I am
sad because I know the pain they are going through. I have been there many
times myself.
Michael Trimble, a British professor at the Institute
of Neurology in London, tells us, humans are the only creatures who cry for
emotional reasons. I have no reason to challenge his research. Humans cry while
other animals do not. It makes one wonder just what it is that God placed
inside of man that makes him different. I think it is our capacity for knowing
and responding to God.
O Hope
Of Every Contrite Heart
O hope of every contrite heart,
O joy of all the meek,
To those who fall, how kind Thou art!
How good to those who seek!
Dear Lord, How I remember, in my
struggles against your will, the day I could not sustain my rebellion. I
surrendered and you took me in. O the tears that fell in that precious hour –
that hour when you smiled upon me in forgiveness. Thank you, Lord. AMEN
