Gratitude... Today and Days Gone By

I was doing so good keeping up with the Days of Gratitude... then we were out of town over

Thanksgiving... and I was unable to get my blogging done! I do have a ton to be grateFUL for, but today I am just going to share one massive thing I have so much gratitude for...

I was reading this morning in Luke 7:36-50... Jesus had been invited to the pharisee's house for dinner. This woman came in to show her sacrifice of love to Jesus. She was not an "upstanding" citizen in society, so the other people at the dinner were judging why Jesus would allow a woman like this near Him. Jesus knew what they were thinking and He proceeded to tell a parable about the 2 people that owed a debt... one owed a big debt and one owed a greater debt.

In verses 41-42 Jesus said... "There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, which of them will love him more?" And Simon's answer in the next verse, "I suppose the one whom he forgave more."

Sin is sin in God's eyes! Yes, there are bigger consequences on earth for some sins over others. But this woman, that poured all she had out for Jesus, had lived a rough life of sin, but so did the pharisee, Simon... his sins were maybe just more "acceptable" in the world's eyes.

Okay, so you are probably asking... what does this have to do with my gratitude for the day? Well, let me tell you... I am a sinner! "Big" sins... "little" sins... I am way better than I was, but I have a long way to go! My massive gratitude is because it is only by the grace of God... His love & mercy... and Jesus Christ's sacrifice on the cross that sin no longer has a hold on me!

Then He said to her, "Your sins are forgiven."... "Your faith has saved you. Go in peace." ~ Luke 7:48 & 50

I share this boldly and courageously... this is what I know for sure... it is only through Christ shedding His blood... dying for the whole world's sins... and being raised from the dead, that I have eternal life in Heaven some day! I am not saying that I am right & you are wrong if you believe differently... what I am saying is that Christ's righteousness is the only way to make your "debt" right! I know this & I believe this with my whole heart because He has done it for me & He will do it for you too!

"If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him for the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." ~ Romans 10:9-10