Jesus responded to Peter's indignation towards the woman wiping his feet with her hair after she had anointed them, with these words... He who is forgiven much, loves much. He who is forgiven little, loves little. Luke 7:47
This woman knew the deep pain of costly mistakes. She understood her complete undoneness and because of that recognized her need of Saviour. She came to Jesus, when Jesus was in a group of men, and was completely vulnerable... poured ointment on Jesus' feet and then took her hair and wiped them.
How could she do it??
She was extremely grateful.
She experienced deep pain. She knew unbounding forgiveness. And she was extremely grateful. To where she risked her reputation and became vulnerable.
She was forgiven much, so she loved much.
Hebrews 7:11 ... Now if perfection had been attainable through the Levitical priesthood.., what further need would there have been for another priest to arise ...?
Hebrews 8:7 also says, For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion to look for the second.
To experience one thing is to open our hearts up for something else. To experience the lack of something helps us to realize and long for that something better.
Counselors will tell you that you will not seek change out of a bad situation until the pain of where you are is greater than the fear of the unknown.
The Jews were a people whom God chose and He gave them the Law and the Law was to point to something greater. It also showed them their undoneness and incapability to do what was right on their own. He promised them a Saviour, a Redeemer.
When we experience a deep loss of any kind we open ourselves to knowing what's on the other side of the door. And we often don't realize or appreciate what we had until we don't have it anymore.
There are two sides to a door. Two sides of a coin.
There is an opportunity ... Pain/Hard = Redemption.
If there is no mess up, there is no need of redemption.
If there is no death, there will be no resurrection.
God has promised to redeem us.
He will restore the years the locusts have eaten.
To the extent that we experience the depth of hard and loss we understand the height of redemption and healing.
Jesus experienced death and because of that He could know and experience the resurrection.
The darker the night, the brighter the light.
The deeper the depths we go, the higher the heights we'll know.
The songs that touches the deepest chords of our hearts were written out of the broken cry of someone else's heart.
One morning as I was doing my usual morning walk, I breathed deep because I was experiencing the joy of a clearer brain and the simple joy of a friendship that was refreshing. Those days of clarity and feeling good are limited for me right now and so when I experience one, the delight is extremely delightful.
To have known pain in many ways opens my eyes and heart to know the joy of health and healing.
To know the loss of one friendship is to awaken me to the delight of another.
To experience the sickness of mind and brain is to know the joy and delight of its slowly healing.
To know many days of pain is to rejoice and be exceeding grateful for the day of lesser or no pain.
As one family experienced the near loss of a husband/father an anniversary date holds extra special meaning.
To experience one is to know the other.
To know joy we experience loss.
To know God's love deeply we experience rejection.
To know light we walk in darkness.
To know the freedom of God's new covenant, people lived the old.
To know forgiveness we made a mistake.
To experience one. Is to know the other.
In the valleys of hard there is the fact of what we have lost or are experiencing but there is also the reality of new joys to discover.
The pain of the hard is a storm that shakes the soil our hearts and sometimes it's more like an earthquake, but one day we realize that it has loosened the soil and a 'flower' is growing in the crevice. Our hearts are awakened and we appreciate and receive the gifts of today as richer, fuller, and more simplistic.
There are new and fresh gifts to see and experience. And I am realizing that in the newness there is a simplicity that is refreshing. Like the refining of gold, a fire that removed the dross and the metal now shines, till it reflects the face of the Master.
All hard must be grieved and in its own time will find healing.
But there comes a time when we must choose what we are focusing on. We must decide which side of the door we will be, which side of the coin we will face... the hard stuff or the simple and pure joys and gifts in the middle of the hard.
To focus on one is not to deny the other, it simply is giving one the greater attention. And the one we focus on will be the one that dictates our days and moments. It will be one of despondency or walking in hope.
And when sadness overwhelms you because of the hard, take a moment to grieve and cry because as you do that you will find healing, again.
It is not a once and done deal when you live with a chronic illness or the loss of a loved one, etc, so the grieving will not be a once and done deal either.
But remember... to turn your face and your sights to the sun/Son. Turn your gaze to look around you and see if you can find a pure and simple joy that may be there to surprise you.
He is our Promised Redeemer!
And if you don't find anything right then because the storm cloud is too dark, turn your heart's eyes of faith to Jesus, the One who is with you and wait, holding on to His hand in faith.
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