10 Days of Thankfulness: Christ my Redeemer

She had lived for years with the shame of her choices.  No one noticed her.  No one spoke to her.  Most sneered at her, quickly moving away from her unless they too would be polluted by her sin.  Some laughed.  Some looked with compassion, but they never offered to help.  

She was a sinner.  And she knew it too. 

There was a rumor of freedom.  Could it be true?  She had heard so many stories, wonderful things, and she hoped they could be true of her some day.  She longed to be free from her prison.  Every time her reflection caught her eye, she would cringe at the sight.  Sin was a cage that kept her locked up.  Could she ever be free?  Oh, how she wished to be free from her sin.  Was there not some way to get rid of it?  

As a child, she was told about God.  She knew that He accepted the blood of animals as a covering for sins.  How long must she offer animal blood, she didn't know; and neither did anyone else.  

"We will wait for the Messiah.  He will come and set us free."  

Free.  

She moved deftly through the crowd.  There were always crowds of people around Jesus, but no one noticed her slight frame moving closer to the house.  She walked with purpose, yet cautiously for fear of dropping the precious container in her hands.  She gingerly fingered the bottle.  Inside was a precious, expensive ointment.  She wanted to give it to Jesus.  

Maybe He would forgive her sins too.  

This was the home of Simon, one of the Pharisees.  It was a beautiful home, full of people, good smelling, food, and the Teacher.  He had been invited there to eat.  As she moved inside the house, she began to feel the judgement.  She was surprised that no one stopped her when she came into the main room of the house and stood behind Jesus.  

She began to weep.  Years of guilt and shame poured over her.  The sobs wracked her body.  She knelt down before the Teacher and began to wipe His feet with her hair.  The tears wet His feet; she kissed them and anointed them with the precious ointment.  

She heard behind her, "If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner." said Simon the Pharisee.  

Jesus gently looked at the woman at His feet, and then to Simon.  "Simon, I have something to say to you."

“A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty.  When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?”

Simon looked confused, "The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt."

Jesus nodded, "You have judge rightly."  

He shifted His gaze to look at the woman kneeling before Him, and said, "Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair.  You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet.  You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment.  
Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little." 

And looking at her, He said, “Your sins are forgiven.”

She looked up into His eyes, and joy flooded her heart.  

Forgiven?  
Her sins, really forgiven?  

This is the promise of redemption.  Christ paid the debt for sin, yet not for mine or hers only-but for the world.  This Jesus is the Messiah.  He is the Son of God.  He came to earth, 100% God and 100% man.  He lived a perfect life to pay the penalty for sin.  Redemption and forgiveness are free for all who believe by faith in Christ.  

Here is something to be thankful for:  He bought us out of the slave-market of sin, never to be sold again!  He is our Redeemer.  He is my Savior.  

~ Adapted from Luke 7:36-50