Then He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” Luke 7:48

 When charged with a crime, the criminal must face a judge. That judge holds your life in his hands. He can either send you to prison, make you pay a hefty fine, or control your life in some other manner. Many who have faced a judge, are humbled and seek forgiveness, even pardon from their wrongdoing. The manner in which they approach the judge often influences the options he uses for judgment.

 As a child of God, you are going to sin. We live in these fleshly bodies that are weak and vulnerable to the temptations Satan uses to try to wreck our relationship with Jesus. Seeking His forgiveness frees us from the weight of guilt and shame. The truth is, Jesus is our judge, the one who holds our lives in the balance, and how we approach Him when seeking forgiveness determines the genuineness of our faith. So, what does our approach to Him look like when seeking forgiveness?

 Take a moment to read Luke 7:36-50.

 Here we see a woman who is known in the community as a sinful person. While dining at the home of a Pharisee, she approaches Jesus, convicted of her sinful lifestyle, weeping. She bends down and washes His feet with her tears, wiping them with her long hair, anointing his feet with a fragrant oil, and continually kisses His feet. A humble act that most likely represented the depth of her heart’s desire to seek His forgiveness.

 What a powerful story. Standing at the feet of Jesus Christ reveals our unworthiness to be accepted by Him. Thankfully God’s grace and mercy for His creation was shown through the humiliating death His Son, Jesus Christ, bore on a Roman cross as payment for the sins of mankind. When you think about it, we don’t deserve His forgiveness because of His holiness. Yet, He extends that forgiveness to us without conditions.

 God’s love for you should be the motivation, and expression of sincere repentance you show Him as you ask His forgiveness. Let that sinful woman’s act, be the example you should follow when seeking God’s forgiveness for your trespasses. God bless!