The Greater the Sin, the Greater the Gratitude

“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.” Then Jesus said to the woman, “Your sins are forgiven” Luke 7:47-48, New Living Translation.

The farther I ran, the more He called me back home. Never did He forget me, in my absence. As I ran from His Presence, never did He give up on me. No matter how sinful a woman I became, His heart for me never changed. He never stopped loving me. No matter how deep into the darkness I delved, He never ever gave up on me. He continued to call out to my heart. He continued to set up circumstance after circumstance to be like a little light in my corner of darkness. I could not see it then. But I can now. It’s kind of like when I child grows up and faces the real world alone, and suddenly understands all those little precious things their parents did for them. His forgiveness grew with each offense. His mercy expanded as my conscience contracted. His grace became greater and greater, as I became less and less of who I was called to be.

Can I encourage you today? He loves you, just as He has loved me. No matter how far you have run, He is still whispering your name. Even if your heart can not perceive it, it is still a fact nonetheless. He is still pondering your return and anticipating your arrival home to the doorstep of His heart. There is a porch light on for you there. The path that leads you back to Him does not lead to a dark door with no step to reach Him and no light to see the door knob. Maybe you envision a door with no door knob. Far be it, my sister! Not our God! Not our good, good Father!

For so long, I felt so unworthy because I only came back to Him after I had reached the end of my own wretched rope of sinfulness. I was facing the consequences of my choices, and they were swallowing me in death, disease, and darkness, and then I called out to Him wholeheartedly. I felt I had shown Him no love, and struggled with receiving His love as a free gift in return. As undeserving as I had proven to be, He was showing me love I had never known, forgiving me of every sin I had committed against Him, healing me from the inside out, and holding me while I cried out in deep physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual pain stemming from the direct effects of my own bad choices. I questioned what I could possibly return for His faithful love, His awesome goodness and His great mercy toward me.

Now, this passage in Luke gives me comfort. Because to me, it says there is something I can give back to Him. It is the great love I feel for Him because of the great forgiveness He has shown me. I have been a very sinful woman, yet Jesus loves me nonetheless. I have strayed far away just to come right back, seeking His forgiveness and His way of doing things. And His profound mercy covered it all. His mercy covers it all, my sister. His love is greater than any hate you have shown or embraced. His light is more powerful than any darkness you have stood in or stand in now. His forgiveness is greater than any sin. Run to Him. Call out to Him. Receive His great love and relentless forgiveness. Then pour your love on His feet!

Prayer: Thank You, Jesus, for Your bold forgiveness and unending mercies. Thank You for dying to save me. Thank You, for saying my sins are forgiven. Thank You for breaking the chains that held me. I could not possibly repay You ever. But please receive my love for You in return for all You have done for me! Let me love You like the woman who washed Your feet with her tears and wiped Your feet with her hair, and anointed Your feet with perfume! May my love for You touch Your heart and the hearts of others! May my love for You show in all that I do and all that I say every day. I am in awe of Who You are and how You love. Let me love like that. And let it start with my love for You. I love You so much. Thank You. I am deeply grateful for Your love and forgiveness. Jesus, may Your Name reign in my heart and life always. Amen.

(Read Luke 7:36-50)

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17 thoughts on “The Greater the Sin, the Greater the Gratitude”

  1. This was beautiful! Sometimes I forget where I have come from and then forget to have real gratitude. Thank you for sharing your heart !

    1. Thank you for that message. I have only be gain to know really how much God love me. It make me know my Love for Him is reflected in how thankful I am.

  2. My father i am a sinner you have shown me blessed love and mercy everyday of my life. You know my weaknesses my weak faith yet you still love me. My heart loves you in my Jesus name thank you

  3. Thank you Father God for teaching me your words and Love that you have giving me to share with others around the love to encourage each other and myself Thank you Father God and Jesus name Amen

  4. Your love is so amazing Father,i thank you for Jesus my savior help me to think real about what the sacrifice of your Son and his blood really meant for me.oh myGod how quickly we forget, we need your forgiveness every day we live.Thank you Jesus! Thank you! For dying for a wretch like me,Delilah i am shouting.

  5. Wow. Thank you for this post. As I reflect, this woman who was forgiven is a new model for me. To lay it all on the line, publicly, at His feet, in front of the people who knew her dirt…. and what a reward she reaped. Am I bold enough to lay it all at His feet- just drop off this hott mess of a mess I am – as is (without edits, without bows, or packaged nicely so the witnesses won’t noticed how messy my stuff really is)? How freeing it would be and how great my reward would be.

  6. Thank you Lord for loving me in the places where I have been so unlovable. When I look back I know I never would have made it, but you were there..A friend who sticks closer than a brother. Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be pleasing and acceptable in your sight. I love you Jesus♡

  7. Thank you God for loving me, thank you for your Mercies for me and my families and friends. My life today would not have been what it is…if it was not for you. I love you and thank you for reminding me of forgiveness. Like all most said its so easy to forget where we came from, or who we were…but God is a good Good. To worship you I live my God.

  8. Thank You Father for Your son Jesus! Thank You for not giving up on me, thank You for saving me, loving me when I didn’t know how to love myself. Thank You for teaching me how to love others as You will have me too. Thank You Lord for being Lord over my life. My heart belongs to You all the days of my life. I love You Lord and I lift Your name of on high. Thanks DOTK for such an amazing devotional love it 😘

  9. Honestly! This powerful message will give life, love, and a new beginning in a beautiful walk with Jesus. ~♡~
    Amen

  10. YOU WROTE ALL THAT I BEEN FEELING….IT WAS RIGHT ON TIME TOO..JUST BROKE DOWN IN TEARS.THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR DEEPEST THOUGHTS MY SISTER..GOD SPOKE TO YOU SO CLEARLY.AND KNEW I NEEDED TO HEAR THIS MSG.FOR THE LAST 3 DAYS ITS BEEN A WORD FROM THE LORD FOR ME…HE IS AMAZING HIS LOVE IS AMAZING.I HAD FELT SO DEVASTATED ABOUT MY LIFE AND ALL THAT HAS HAPPENED…BUT THESE 3 DAYS HAVE BROKE ME IN A WAY I NEEDED TO SET FREE….JESUS U R MIGHTY AND I LOVE U LORD.THANK YOU FOR MY SISTER IN CHRIST WHO HAS SHARED ALL THAT U REVEAL TO HER…THANK YOU MY FATHER!!!GOD BLESS YOU DOTK GOD IS USING U IN A TREMENDOUS WAY LIKE NEVER BEFORE.HE HAS GIVEN U SUCH REVELATION…I LOVE YOU FOR BEING OBEDIENT TO OUR FATHER AND ALLOWING HIM TO POUR HIS LOVE THROUGH U…BLESSINGS TO U AND YOUR FAMILY SWEET SISTER

  11. DOTK 👑💥 🔥BEAUTIFUL per Usual❗📝😄Ty❕🌷🌹🙌👏💎 hallelujahhh❗🎤 🎀🙋🙏🙏💃💃💃SWEET JESUS 👑YOU GAVE YOUR LOVE🎁🎉💝 and YOU ARE NOT LEAVING, ⚓and 💯WE ain’t Leaving either❗💃👐😄💯†📖💡🏃⚓BLESSETH ASSURANCE❗💯💒😇🙏🙏🙏forever Grateful❗🔐🏆

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