19 We love because he first loved us. – 1 John 4:19

44 Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. 46 You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. 47 Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” – Luke 7:44-47

Loving God with all that we are begins when we have a revelation of God’s love for us. Like the apostle John said, we love because God first loved us. The gospel writer Luke portrays this truth in Luke chapter 7 when Jesus attends a Pharisee’s home for dinner and a sinful woman comes to Jesus with an alabaster jar of expensive ointment. While weeping because of her sins, this woman pours this expensive perfume on Jesus’ feet and begins cleaning Jesus’ feet with her own tears and hair. Jesus points out to the religious Pharisee’s that this woman truly loves God because of the revelation she has had of how awful her sin is and how much Jesus has forgiven her. In order for us to truly be filled with the love of God, we must first have a revelation of our own sin. Once we realize our own depravity we will realize the magnitude of God’s love.

Do you know how much God loves you? It starts by realizing the sin he has forgiven. Spend time reflecting over your personal sin Jesus died for. A great place to start is with our own selfishness and pride, something we too often are blinded to. To go deeper, get a pen and journal and start writing down what Jesus has forgiven.