Listen

“Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

(Mark 2:17)

Reflection:

One of the absolutely glorious things about our Lord is that He is not scared of sinners – nor does He avoid them as if afraid of being contaminated. He was often seen in their company and they seemed to seek Him out and find Him. He welcomed them, ate with them, and forgave them freely whenever He could. He has now become known as the Friend of Sinners.

 When Peter asked Him how often one should forgive one’s brother, seemingly looking for a limit to the amount of grace that was expected of him, Jesus gave a reply that indicated it was limitless. If that was the standard that He held out for us then it was no greater than the one that He used for Himself. Where there is repentance there will be forgiveness – again and again – for God knows our hearts, our weaknesses and our struggles. That is not a licence to sin but an encouragement to live.

 Sin can often make us feel separated from God, for that is what sin does. However Jesus has dealt with the guilt and separation. More than that He is the Good Shepherd who seeks out any sheep that wanders away and in truth is always with us as He promised in the Great Commission.

 The voice that we hear when we have sinned or wandered is not that of an irate Master but that of a concerned Saviour. “I have come to call … sinners” He tells us – and He does call us again and again, inviting us to come home to where we belong, to where there is love and life and healing.

 For some that healing from sin and its effects might take a long time. However He is there for us – knowing our sickness, knowing our sickness of our sickness, knowing our longing and His own capacity to help in the way that will heal us the most effectively.

 His voice calls us to come to Him – to come back to Him – to get up again and to have another go at life, with Him – again and again.

Response:

Listen  – Believe – Respond – Never stop.

Prayer:

Thank You so much Lord Jesus for calling me to You and for continuing to do so whenever I fall.

I come to You again – help me again to get up and walk with You. Amen.

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