The woman who anointed the feet of Jesus

Thank you for sharing this beautiful poem.

I read and re-read the story of the woman of Luke 7 quite often. Especially when I get overwhelmed with self-condemnation. Any and all sin can weigh as heavy as this womans’ sin. Martin Luther called her tears, “heartwater.” Four things I see — sin, repentance, gratitude, and the courage to come to Jesus.

“Whenever a sinner comes to him, he becomes his Savior. Whenever he meets a sick soul, he acts as his Physician. . . . If you go to him, you will find him at home and on the look-out for you. He will be more glad to receive you than you will be to be received. . . . I tell you again that he cannot reject you. That would be to alter his whole character and un-Christ himself. To spurn a coming sinner would un-Jesus him and make him to be somebody else and not himself any longer. ‘He cannot deny himself.’ Go and try him; go and try him.” http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/rayortlund/2013/02/15/it-would-un-jesus-him/

I have a good friend who’s college-age grandson announced he was gay. She is a very active lifelong Lutheran. But now is saying condemning things against the church because she fears the Christian rejection for this in her family. I told her that Billy Graham was once asked what he would do if he found out that someone in his family was discovered to be gay. He said, “I would love them all the more.” She said she would leave the church rather than give up loving her grandson.

I find it interesting in this article by a lesbian, that she does not want the church to compromise either Law or Gospel in any way. But that the church should proclaim what is true according to God’s Word.

“To those of you who would change the church to accept the gay community and its lifestyle: you give us no hope at all. To those of us who know God’s word and will not dilute it to fit our desires, we ask you to read John’s letter to the church in Pergamum. “I have a few things against you: You have people there who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin by eating food sacrificed to idols and by committing sexual immorality. Likewise, you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans. Repent therefore!” You are willing to compromise the word of God to be politically correct. We are not deceived. If we accept your willingness to compromise, then we must also compromise. We must therefore accept your lying, your adultery, your lust, your idolatry, your addictions, YOUR sins. “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

We do not ask for your acceptance of our sins any more than we accept yours. We simply ask for the same support, love, guidance, and most of all hope that is given to the rest of your congregation. We are your brothers and sisters in Christ. We are not what we shall be, but thank God, we are not what we were. Let us work together to see that we all arrive safely home.” http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/2013/03/21/an-open-letter-to-the-church-from-a-lesbian/

“All of life is repentance.” (Martin Luther) It is about the heart. Is the heart soft and repentant? Or hard to commit ongoing sin with no repentance? If it is soft, and you go to Him, Jesus can’t reject you — that would be “unJesus” of Him.

“And He wip’d off the soiling of despair” I love that.

Beautiful poem! Thank you for sharing this to us. Jesus forgives as long as you confess that you have sinned, ask for forgiveness, believe and have faith in Him.

I homeschool–we’re looking at poetry to study this month. I received Wordsworth’s “The Prelude” in my email with a lesson plan today. Is this a good poem worth studying? What was Wordsworth’s worldview? What does this poem teach us? I know nothing about poetry and I cannot find anything from a Christian perspective on Wordsworth, much less a Lutheran perspective!