Luke – Doors Wide Open!
“My people will know My name; therefore they will know on that day that I am He who speaks. Here I am!” 7 How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, “Your God reigns!” (Isaiah 52:6-7, Berean Study Bible
Our feet are probably the least beautiful on our physical bodies, at least they are on mine. Feet become calloused from walking, standing and sometimes running. Although not from running for me. In fact, if I’m running by you, then you better run, too, because something terrible is after me!
After years of standing and walking all day long as a teacher, my feet have taken a new form. The bones have stretched and grown a bit deformed but I’m 
thankful for walking still. I am a fast walker, (which is annoying to some). I still walk about two miles a day. Feet are important to get us where we want to go. I’m grateful for my feet. Some have to use other forms to get around.
thankful for walking still. I am a fast walker, (which is annoying to some). I still walk about two miles a day. Feet are important to get us where we want to go. I’m grateful for my feet. Some have to use other forms to get around.But beautiful? Not until I read this story of forgiveness and pure, unconditional love.
Luke 7, New Living Translation
Jesus Anointed by a Sinful Woman
36 One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to have dinner with him, so Jesus went to his home and sat down to eat. 37 When a certain immoral woman from that city heard he was eating there, she brought a beautiful alabaster jar filled with expensive perfume. 38 Then she knelt behind him at his feet, weeping. Her tears fell on his feet, and she wiped them off with her hair. Then she kept kissing his feet and putting perfume on them.
39 When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know what kind of woman is touching him. She’s a sinner!”40 Then Jesus answered his thoughts. “Simon,” he said to the Pharisee, “I have something to say to you.”
“Go ahead, Teacher,” Simon replied.
41 Then Jesus told him this story: “A man loaned money to two people—500 pieces of silver to one and 50 pieces to the other. 42 But neither of them could repay him, so he kindly forgave them both, canceling their debts. Who do you suppose loved him more after that?”
43 Simon answered, “I suppose the one for whom he canceled the larger debt.”
“That’s right,” Jesus said. 44 Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Look at this woman kneeling here. When I entered your home, you didn’t offer me water to wash the dust from my feet, but she has washed them with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You didn’t greet me with a kiss, but from the time I first came in, she has not stopped kissing my feet. 46 You neglected the courtesy of olive oil to anoint my head, but she has anointed my feet with rare perfume.
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.” 48 Then Jesus said to the woman, “Your sins are forgiven.”49 The men at the table said among themselves, “Who is this man, that he goes around forgiving sins?”
50 And Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”
THINK ABOUT IT
It is easy to see that more sin that needs forgiving, more forgiveness is given by our Savior. Sin is sin. It doesn’t really matter how much sin, it matters if we have asked forgiveness of all our sins. Grateful are those with great sin to be forgiven. Grateful are those with sin at all to be forgiven.
NO ONE is beyond forgiveness from Jesus. No one.Those same feet that were lavished with expensive perfume, perfume saved for her own burial someday, was broken and spilled out on the feet that would be torn and scarred by being nail to a cross for ALL our sin. All sin for all people. Yours and mine. Let that sink in.
GOING DEEPER…
It was a custom for the host to provide servants to wash the feet of guests who entered their homes. This custom brought refreshment to tired feet. The feet were dirty from walking in sandals on dusty roads. It was also to honor their guests by serving them in this way. This Pharisee who we read were all about the rules of the day did not even honor Jesus with feet washing. How rude. Jesus came in and immediately they ate.
A woman who knew her sin was determined to come to the One and only who could forgive her. She risks coming into the home of a Pharisee. It is such a gutsy thing to do that she is not stopped, only ridiculed as she weeps uncontrollably. She does not care. She throws all caution to the wind. She comes from behind Jesus in humility. She quickly breaks open her life savings and pours out the contents from the once sealed alabaster jar on the beautiful feet who has brought good news! HOLY PAUSE…
What is the extent of our love?
Would we give up our life savings for forgiveness?
Guess what, today, because of Jesus’ work on the cross, the debt of sin is paid in full. We only need to give ourselves to him. ALL of us to all of Him. We need to humbly fall at his beautiful, nail-scared feet and ask for forgiveness. He will do it. He is waiting for us. He will wipe the slate clean. It is done. It is finished. He forgives when we ask with a sincere, repentant heart. Then, like no one else on earth can do, Jesus forgets the sin, never to remind us of it again!
Oh yes, how beautiful is the One who forgives completely because of His relentless, reckless love for us!
HOLY PAUSEHow beautiful are our feet? It depends on what we are carrying…
Are we carrying the Good News to others, pointing the way to Jesus who is Truth and gives Life?
Dear Heavenly Father, Savior and Lord,
How beautiful is this story of your forgiveness and love. How beautiful is the demonstration of the woman’s extreme love for you! I love you, Lord with all that is in me. I feel the woman’s heart for you. I know my sins are forgiven. I know your love for me. And I am grateful. These tears of gratitude are for you. Your were broken and spilled out for us. Oh, how you love us. I will meditate on your love all day long. How beautiful the story of forgiveness and love. Help me to love today like you love us. Unconditionally.
In Jesus Name, Amen
And I’m singing…
How beautiful the hands that served
the wine and the bread
and the sons of the earth.
How beautiful the feet that walked
the long dusty roads
and the hills to the cross.
How beautiful
how beautiful
how beautiful is the body of Christ.
How beautiful the heart that bled
that took all my sin
and bore it instead.
How beautiful the tender eyes
that chose to forgive
and never despise.
How beautiful
how beautiful
how beautiful is the body of Christ.
And as He laid down His life
we offer this sacrifice
that we will live just as he died:
willing to pay the price
willing to pay the price.
How beautiful the radiant Bride
who waits for her Groom
with His light in her eyes.
How beautiful when humble hearts give
the fruit of pure lives
so that others may live.
How beautiful
how beautiful
how beautiful is the body of Christ.
How beautiful the feet that bring
the sound of good news
and the love of the King.
How beautiful the hands that serve
the wine and the bread
and the sons of the earth.
How beautiful
how beautiful
how beautiful is the body of Christ.
