Love Jesus More

A Pharisee invited Jesus to have dinner with him. So Jesus went to the Pharisee's home and got ready to eat.

When a sinful woman in that town found out that Jesus was there, she bought an expensive bottle of perfume. Then she came and stood behind Jesus. She cried and started washing his feet with her tears and drying them with her hair. The woman kissed his feet and poured the perfume on them.

The Pharisee who had invited Jesus saw this and said to himself, “If this man really were a prophet, he would know what kind of woman is touching him! He would know that she is a sinner.”

Jesus said to the Pharisee, “Simon, I have something to say to you.”

“Teacher, what is it?” Simon replied.

Jesus told him, “Two people were in debt to a moneylender. One of them owed him 500 silver coins, and the other owed him 50.  Since neither of them could pay him back, the moneylender said that they didn't have to pay him anything. Which one of them will like him more?”

He answered, “I suppose it would be the one who had owed more and didn't have to pay it back.”

“You are right,” Jesus said.

Luke 7:36-43

There is a great disadvantage for those who turned to Jesus before there were any "great sins" of which to repent. When you believe that Jesus has forgiven you of only a few small sins, your love for Jesus is small as well. You know you need the Blood of Jesus, but not so much as other men! That love may of course grow as you come to realize that without the sacrifice of Jesus you would spend eternity in Hell even though your sins were not "significant." But believing that you are a "pretty good person" will hold your love for Jesus in check.

A way to fertilize your love for Jesus is to ask Him to show you the enormity of your sin! It is foolish to assume that your sin is not so bad. It is also foolish to think that your sin is so bad that Jesus can't save you.

When you begin to see just how heinous your sin is in the eyes of God, your love for Jesus will grow as well. So must I go out and sin some more so I can have more love for Jesus. Oh no not at all. You have already sinned enough. The problem is totally one of perception. You simply don't know how bad your sin is. Ask Jesus to let you see your sin through His eyes. When you do your love for Him will begin to swell like the tide before a storm. Truthfully, Jesus sees my sin the same as any murderer. It was my sin that drove the nails in His hands and stuck the spear in His side.

"Lord Jesus, I want to love You more. I want to know what You have done for me. And I want to know You better today than ever before. May my love for You grow today. Amen."