No Tears In Vain

This past week a particular Bible story has been running thru my mind literally night and day. When I am going to bed, I lay and ponder over it. When I wake up I am thinking about it. I had come across a devotional laying on my sister inlaws end table last week.The book is called Extravagant Worship by Darlene Zschech. I picked it up in curiosity only to be completely pulled in by the very first page of the first chapter. She was talking about the sinful woman that approached Jesus and anointed his feet with the tears that she wept and with the perfume from her beautiful alabaster box. I noticed a quote she had made that literally hit me to the core. "Imagine the depth of this woman's tears being enough to wash the dusty dirty feet of Jesus" ...This quote from Darlene has seriously entered the deepest part of my soul. I have felt compelled to read this story over and over and over again. Wanting God to reveal to me why this story is SO important to mention in His holy word. I have to write my thoughts down. If I don't, I don't know if I will get a peaceful nights sleep unless I do.

The story goes somewhat like this....(not word for word)

This woman, who was known for being a "heathen" (and most likely had a permiscious reputation) had heard about this Jesus who was claiming to be the Son of God and had the power to forgive. People witnessed His power to heal the sick, give sight to the blind, made the lame walk...She heard all of this, and most likely witnessed it for herself which gave her even a stronger desire to seek Him out. When she had heard where Jesus was having dinner, with Simon one of the pharasees, she sought after Him bringing an alabaster box filled with the most costly perfume. A years worth of wages! When she seen Him, she fell at His feet. Her tears poured out from her eyes enough to wet the feet of Jesus. She used her own hair to wipe His feet clean. And repeatedly kissed the feet of God. When Simon had seen this, he thought to himself, "If Jesus was who He said He is He would know the "type" of woman that lay before His feet. This woman was a sinner! Jesus answered his thoughts outloud that Simon never even offered to wash the dust off of His feet and yet this woman washed them with her own tears. Simon never even greeted Jesus with a kiss, yet this woman has not stopped kissing His feet. Simon neglected to anoint Jesus' head with oil, yet this woman anointed His feet with rare and expensive perfume. Who showed more love? Jesus knew this woman's sins were many. He knew every detail of her life. But Jesus told Simon and the others there that this woman's sins were forgiven. The faith this woman had, saved her! Luke 7:36-50

I can only imagine what this woman was thinking going before these people to pour her heart out to Christ. I can see this entire story playing out in my head. I picture this woman, hearing the gasps, and snickers from those around her...rebuking her act of worship because she was a sinful woman. But her faith welled up inside her giving her the desire to trust that this man was EXACTLY who He said He was. I would do anything just to know what was going thru her mind as she worshipped her God and Savior at His feet. She knew she had sinned...but there was a hope in Christ that she would never find anywhere else. No one else could love her through and beyond her mistakes nor have the power to forgive her. She wanted a different life from the one that she had been living. Her sin was exposed thru Christ and I am sure she felt much shame in that. She wept enough to wash the feet of Jesus. Can you imagine the amount of tears that this woman cried? I am sure most of us don't stop to think of the condition of the feet of those back in Jesus's days. I have always thought my husbands feet were "unspeakable"....But back then they wore sandals...I am not talking your average "crocs" with some comfort. Men worked with these shoes. Hard core jobs! They walked miles and miles and miles in these sandals. By the end of the day there feet were callosed, covered in dirt, grime, dust... I am sure they did not smell the best either. For this woman's tears to be enough to wash both feet....tells me where her heart was. It was pouring out everything! Her shame of her past, her pain, and her love for this man. Her Savior Jesus Christ. She cried many tears and used every single one of them to worship the Savior.
My thought with this....is what do I do with my tears. Are they cried in vain? Or do I use my tears to worship my Savior. To me this woman set an example for all of us...to BOLDLY approach God despite the world's ridicule and worship Him. I wonder when she left His feet if she was able to go back to her old lifestyle...after that worshipping experience? I know there are many ways to worship God, but how many times have I sat thru church "unmoved". Worship becomes a ritual? Maybe I am the only one who has stood thru worship sang the songs...but my mind was not at the feet of Jesus. She poured perfume on His feet. What have I offered Christ in my worship? What does God want from me? What I believe from this very story given, is He wants our love and worship more than ANYTHING. He wants us to wash His feet with our tears happy tears or sad tears. We can claim to be "religious" or "Christian" We can walk thru the rituals....but what is God really impressed with? What shows more love to Him? Following the right morals? Going to Church and singing worship songs? Living like a Christian should? Fighting for the end of abortion? What really impresses God and shows Him we love Him? I am no bible scholar....but I am sure the pharosees were extremely religious on the outside. But where were their hearts? What am I doing to show Christ that I worship Him FULLY, WHOLE~HEARTEDLY Holding NOTHING back.. No more crying tears in vain. Use them to worship! I am sure most of you are familiar with this story. I hope it has spoke to your heart the way it has spoke to mine.
Love and Prayers Always
Lisa