NO LOVE FOR GOD

What is more important to God than the things we do for him? Sometimes we find ourselves so busy flying from one activity to the next in our attempt to obey God, that we don’t even have any time left to pray & listen to his voice. At those times we even become impatient with those who are close by and in need of our time or attention. The Pharisees were like that, and Jesus said that in their hearts,( in spite of all that they were doing in church work) they had no love for God.

“But I know what kind of people you are, and I know that you have no love for God in your hearts.”

John 5:42 GNB

In Luke 7, a Pharisee named Simon invited Jesus to his house for dinner. He did not offer to wash Jesus feet like was the custom of the day for a host in the Middle East. Just then a woman close by, dropped to her knees in front of Jesus sobbing. As her tears fell on Jesus dirty feet, she wiped them with her hair and kissed his feet. As the woman poured some expensive perfume on Jesus feet, Simon thought in his mind that Jesus was surely a false prophet for not realizing the bad reputation that this woman had in the community. Jesus read his mind and said, “Simon, a banker had two men that owed him money. One owed him the equivalent of $50,000 and the other owed the banker $5000. When they could not pay, the banker canceled both of their debts. Which man do you think loved the banker the most?” Simon said, “Probably the one that was forgiven the most!” Jesus said, “Simon, you are right. Outside of inviting me for supper, you showed me no sign that you loved me, because you think of yourself as not needing much forgiveness. This woman realizes how much she needs forgiveness and has not stopped showing me how much she loves me ever since I came into your house.” Looking penetratingly into Simon’s eyes, Jesus said, “He who is forgiven little, loves little.”

Self righteous people that think they don’t need forgiveness,

in their hearts have no love for God.

Alvin J. Yoder

6/10/2017