December 26th, 2016

Read His Words Before Ours!
Matthew 18:1-6
Mark 9:33-37
Mark 16:14-20
Luke 7:36-50  

I don’t remember when I heard this story and I don’t even remember where I heard this story. But, I heard a story once, a true story, about a little girl who stood up on a stage and said, “I just love Jesus, and I want everyone to know it!”

Although my surroundings were insignificant to me, that story impacted me greatly, as I have found myself thinking of that little girl many times over the years.

“I just love Jesus, and I want everyone to know it!”

Jesus invites us to become as little children.
Like the children who boldly gathered around Him, sat on His lap, and let Him love on them.
Or, like the children who dance while they worship, singing loudly of God’s love without caring what others think of their voice.

When I was just a little girl, I had a dream. I wanted to preach to hundreds of people and help them see Jesus in a way that made Him even more real. I wanted people to know that Jesus loves them, He forgives them, and has an amazing plan for their lives!

“God sent His only Son, Jesus, to come to earth and die for our sins!
But He rose from the dead! And because of Jesus, we can live forever in Heaven!”

I passionately shouted phrases similar to this to cars that passed before my house and anyone else that would take a moment to listen (even if it was only a passing hummingbird or a stray cat).
I had learned the gospel from an early age, and I was so excited, that I couldn’t help but share this good news!

The gospel was so precious to me.

Like many Christ-followers, my life became busy and my heart became crowded.
The Lord gave me passion and deep joy in doing many different things, but over time,
those things slowly became more important to me than sharing the gospel, or even treasuring my Savior.

That crowded heart is something I still battle. When I was in high school, dance, theater, academics, and even service projects, would often give sharing the gospel the boot. These days, it’s my family, work, volunteering, and friendships, that often find their way to the top of my “list”, with talking about Jesus coming second.

In Luke, we read that Jesus was invited to dine with a Pharisee named Simon. Somehow, news traveled that he would be in Simon’s home and a woman frantically grabbed her alabaster container of ointment and ran to Simon’s home, determined to see this Jesus she had heard so much about. She quietly snuck in, trying to get a glimpse of Jesus. He lounged before her on a couch, leaning on His arm with His legs stretched out to His side. The woman couldn’t see His face, but she knew it was Him. She crept closer, and the closer she got the more she became overwhelmed with her great sin compared to the sin-less-ness of this Man before her. We don’t know what her sins were, but we know they caused her great shame. This woman became broken; she couldn’t stop her tears from spilling over and onto the feet of Jesus. Ashamed, she quickly stooped down to wipe the salty tears from His feet with the only towel she had at hand: her long hair. The tears kept coming, and so, she picked up the alabaster jar she had set down when she knelt to wipe his feet, and began pouring the ointment on Jesus’ feet. She was anointing the feet of the only Man who could offer her forgiveness for the sin that consumed her.
Jesus was so precious to her.

This woman knew she wasn’t worthy.
She knew He was.
She knew she needed His grace and forgiveness.
Which He freely gave her.

That is the good news!
That is the Gospel!

We need forgiveness because we are great sinners.
And Jesus has forgiven us, because that is who He is.
Good News!

As I remember this woman’s story, and as I think about the way children hold the Gospel so dear to their hearts, I long for that passion to return in my life.
But there is no room for it when my heart is crowded with everything else I try to hold dear.

Space.

Space for the gospel to change me, everyday, and as it does, the passion to share it with others becomes intensely pressing.

Clearing space is tough, but precious treasures are worth it.
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Join me, won’t you? Take the time to daily preach the gospel to yourself, allow its truths to wrap you up and press your arms outward to love others with the voice of the precious good news.
“I just love Jesus, and I want everyone to know it!”

This Bible Study first appeared on GracefullyTruthful.com and is property of Gracefully Truthful. Visit the website for more studies like this one!