She was under the table

Thursday   9-24-15  (I’m on a plane high in the sky somewhere over Greenland or Iceland, I think... stopping in Frankfurt, Germany and then on to Palma, Mallorca, Spain later this evening, God willing.)

Scripture reading:   Ezra 1    Ps 84 – 85     Luke 7

S=Scripture O=Observation A=Application P=Prayer  SOAP for the soul.

S.  Luke 7:47  I tell you, her sins — and they are many — have been forgiven, so she has shown me much love. But a person who is forgiven little shows only little love.  NLT

O.  Two people.  Two extremes.  One a religious person considered by most to be an excellent citizen seated at the table and the other one considered to be a dirty sinner down under the table.  Jesus levels the field with a story. 

A.  The best people I know are the least likely to accept the Gospel of Jesus.  We tend to compare ourselves with others.  And we quickly decide that we’re good enough to make heaven.  But God the Father compares us with “His glory”... His Son... and His book says “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” (Rom. 3:23)  If you can’t swallow the bad news, you probably won’t accept the Good News. 

P.  Lord, I am thrilled every time anyone recognizes their need of salvation and comes running into Your loving arms.  But the most excited ones are those that know they are rotten sinners, undeserving of Your forgiveness and Your sacrifice of love.  You and I delight in that kind, because the transformation is visibly miraculous.  Dear Jesus, please let me see both kinds of genuine conversions... often.  Amen.

Ralph