ESOCS Devotional 5 April 2021
TEXT: MARK 14:1-11
MEMORY VERSE: “And being in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head.” Mark 14:3 KJV
If we truly understood the significance of the story of this woman, we would all be brought to tears and be humbled by the Lord’s goodness. You see, this account teaches us more than just sacrifice and repentance; it teaches us love, forgiveness, and real freedom. The book of Luke gives a vivid description of her actions.
Here are a few things we can learn from the woman.
Genuine repentance knows no limits: The woman, sincere in her repentance from living a life of sin, went as far as weeping behind Christ, washing His feet with her tears, wiping them with her hair, and anointing them with the very fragrant oil she herself sacrificed for this very purpose. Her very actions show true repentance from her sins. This connotes total submission and surrender to the Father and this is what is expected of anyone who desires to become a child of God.
Real repentance receives real forgiveness: The Lord Jesus, obviously happy at the woman’s sincerity in repenting of her sin, spoke to His host about God’s forgiveness. He told the Pharisee that though this woman was a sinner, her genuine repentance is received and is rewarded with complete pardon (Luke 7: 44 – 48). Such is the wonderful truth that any and all of us should know. Anyone who repents, regardless of history or background, can and will be forgiven by God as long as the repentance is genuine. Even if the people around us won’t believe in our repentance, God sees the real issue inside our hearts.
Sincere repentance doesn’t care about public opinions: We also need to take into account one very important thing: the woman did her act of repentance inside the house of a Pharisee. Pharisees are religious leaders known for their strict adherence to the Law. This woman, a “sinner” as she is, will not be given any room in a Pharisee’s house. Yet, here she is, braving the people’s rejection so she can come and repent before the Lord.
The same holds true for anyone who truly repents. When we truly repent before the Lord, we will not worry about what people will think. We will not worry that people think we are being ridiculous for crying in tears, for saying “sorry,” for making restitution for our sins. Regardless of what people may say, we turn our backs on sin and turn towards God.
Read yesterday’s ESOCS Devotional here
CHALLENGES
Have you surrendered your life to Jesus? What are the things that hinder you from accepting Jesus as your Lord and Saviour?
PRAYER POINT
Surrender all to Jesus and ask Him to come and take His place in your life.
FURTHER READING:
Matthew 26:6–13; Luke 7:36-50
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ESOCS Devotional 5 April 2021
