Luke 7:36–50 landed hard on me today.

The sinful woman came to Jesus with tears, washing His feet, wiping them with her hair, kissing them, and anointing them with perfume. She was overwhelmed by His mercy.

She understood something I desperately want to understand more deeply.

She knew the weight of her sin and the magnitude of Jesus’ grace. Her love was not an attempt to earn forgiveness—it was the response of a heart that had received it. She came with nothing to prove and nothing to hide—only gratitude, humility, and love.

So, I ask myself—Have I become so accustomed to grace that I’ve forgotten how astonishing it is? Do I still see forgiveness as a miracle, or have I allowed familiarity to dull my wonder?

Jesus said, “But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” I have not been forgiven little. I have been forgiven much. Every sin, every failure, and every hidden place has been met by mercy through Christ. I don’t want to take that mercy for granted or allow the cross to become ordinary.

So I pray--

Father God, open my eyes to the depth of Your grace. Soften my heart where it has grown comfortable. Awaken in me the love and gratitude that brought this woman to Jesus’ feet. May my worship, obedience, and love for others flow from a renewed awareness of how much I have been forgiven. May I always remain amazed by Your grace. I pray this in the mighty and precious name of Your Son, King Jesus. Amen

As I was reading in Matthew 12 today, I had to step back and ponder when I came to verses 43–45. Jesus tells of an unclean spirit that leaves a person, only to return and find the house empty, swept, and put in order. 

That word EMPTY really caught my attention. The house was clean. Everything was in order. From the outside, it appeared that everything was just as it should be. But there was a problem. The house was empty.

That made me stop and examine my own heart—Am I simply trying to keep my life clean for Jesus, or am I surrendering every part of my life to Him?

​There’s such a difference between the two!

I can read my Bible every day, attend church, participate in my Disciple Group, pray, and try to live a life that honors God. And while all of those things are good, I have to ask myself—am I doing these things out of routine, or because I genuinely desire to know Him more deeply? Am I allowing His Word to change me, or am I simply checking off another day of reading?

I don’t want to be a house that merely looks good on the outside. I don’t want to be so occupied with keeping everything swept and in order that I neglect the One who should be at the very center of it all.

It brings me back to Ezekiel 36:26–27, where God promises to give His people a new heart and put His Spirit within them. He doesn’t just clean up the old heart. He gives us a new one. Oh, how I love that!

I don’t want Jesus to be someone I occasionally invite into my day. I want Him to be Lord over every part of my life. Every thought, every decision, every conversation, every hidden corner of my heart.

Knowing God desires more than outward righteousness—He desires a heart transformed by Him—shows me that my greatest need isn’t a cleaner house, but a heart continually surrendered to Jesus.

So, I pray--
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Father God, search my heart. Show me the places where I’ve become comfortable with routine rather than pursuing a deeper relationship with You. Forgive me when I go through the motions instead of truly seeking Your presence. I don’t want to just know about You. I want to KNOW You. I want Your Word to take root in my heart and change the way I think, speak, love, and live. Thank You for giving me a new heart through Your grace. May my life never be about simply appearing righteous, but about belonging completely to You. I pray this in the precious name of Your Son, King Jesus. Amen.

I asked AI to help me create a list describing God’s character for each book of the Old Testament. Here is what I got--

The Law — The Pentateuch

1. Genesis: God is the sovereign Creator, faithful to His promises, who brings redemption and purpose even through human failure.
2. Exodus: God is our mighty Deliverer, who hears the cries of His people, rescues them from bondage, and desires to dwell among them.
3. Leviticus: God is holy and righteous, providing a way for sinful people to approach Him through atonement and worship.
4. Numbers: God is patient, faithful, and just, sustaining His people despite their repeated rebellion and unbelief.
5. Deuteronomy: God is loving and faithful, calling His people to remember His goodness, obey His Word, and love Him wholeheartedly.

The Historical Books

6. Joshua: God is a promise-keeping God who goes before His people, gives them victory, and calls them to courage and obedience.
7. Judges: God is merciful and patient, repeatedly rescuing His people despite their unfaithfulness.
8. Ruth: God is our Redeemer, quietly working through ordinary lives, faithfulness, and kindness to accomplish His extraordinary purposes.
9. 1 Samuel: God looks upon the heart rather than outward appearances and raises up those who trust and obey Him.
10. 2 Samuel: God is faithful to His covenant promises, extending mercy while holding even His chosen servants accountable for sin.
11. 1 Kings: God is sovereign over kings and kingdoms, worthy of undivided worship, and faithful to His Word.
12. 2 Kings: God is patient in warning His people, righteous in judgment, and faithful even when His people turn away.
13. 1 Chronicles: God is faithful across generations, worthy of wholehearted worship, and steadfast in His covenant with David.
14. 2 Chronicles: God hears those who humbly seek Him, responds to repentance, and remains faithful despite His people's unfaithfulness.
15. Ezra: God is faithful to restore His people, fulfill His promises, and draw them back to holiness and worship.
16. Nehemiah: God is a faithful Restorer who strengthens His people, answers prayer, and enables them to accomplish His purposes.
17. Esther: God is sovereign even when unseen, providentially protecting His people and accomplishing His purposes through ordinary circumstances.

Poetry and Wisdom

18. Job: God is infinitely wise and sovereign, worthy of trust even when His purposes are beyond our understanding.
19. Psalms: God is our Shepherd, Refuge, Rock, Deliverer, and King—worthy of praise in every season of life.
20. Proverbs: God is the source of all true wisdom, guiding those who fear Him toward righteousness and understanding.
21. Ecclesiastes: God is eternal and sovereign, the giver of life's blessings and the only One who gives lasting meaning to our existence.
22. Song of Solomon: God is the Creator of love and the giver of the beautiful gift of covenant marriage and intimacy.

The Major Prophets

23. Isaiah: God is the Holy One of Israel, mighty to save, who promises redemption, comfort, and salvation through His coming Servant.
24. Jeremiah: God is righteous in judgment, steadfast in love, and faithful to promise a new covenant written upon the hearts of His people.
25. Lamentations: God is just in His judgments, yet His steadfast love, compassion, and mercies never cease.
26. Ezekiel: God is holy and glorious, determined to vindicate His name, restore His people, and give them new hearts and His Spirit.
27. Daniel: God is the Most High, sovereign over every earthly kingdom, faithful to His servants, and ruler of an everlasting kingdom.

The Minor Prophets

28. Hosea: God loves with a steadfast, covenant-keeping love, pursuing His unfaithful people and calling them back to Himself.
29. Joel: God is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, calling His people to repentance and promising the outpouring of His Spirit.
30. Amos: God is perfectly just and righteous, demanding justice, sincere worship, and compassion for the oppressed.
31. Obadiah: God is the righteous Judge of all nations, opposing pride and defending His people.
32. Jonah: God is compassionate and merciful, extending His grace even to those we might consider undeserving.
33. Micah: God is just, merciful, and faithful, calling His people to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with Him.
34. Nahum: God is slow to anger but mighty in power, a righteous Judge of evil and a refuge for those who trust Him.
35. Habakkuk: God is sovereign and righteous even when evil seems to prevail, calling His people to live by faith.
36. Zephaniah: God is holy in judgment and mighty to save, rejoicing over His redeemed people with gladness and love.
37. Haggai: God is worthy of first place in our lives, faithfully encouraging His people to honor Him and trust His presence.
38. Zechariah: God is faithful to restore His people, cleanse them from sin, and fulfill His promises through the coming Messiah.
39. Malachi: God is unchanging in His covenant love, calling His people to sincere worship and preparing the way for His coming Messenger.

In response, I see this incredible truth--

God is holy, sovereign, righteous, merciful, gracious, patient, loving, just, compassionate, and eternally faithful.

God creates, provides, delivers, disciplines, forgives, restores, and redeems. He keeps His promises even when His people fail Him. From Genesis to Malachi, He is unfolding His perfect plan of redemption, ultimately fulfilled in Jesus Christ.

And perhaps the most incredible thing about studying the Old Testament is realizing that the God who walked with Abraham, delivered Moses, sustained David, heard Hannah, restored Job, and spoke through the prophets is the very same God we worship today. “For I the LORD do not change.” — Malachi 3:6 (ESV)

So--

Knowing God through the Old Testament shows me that His character never changes, His promises never fail, His mercy is greater than I can comprehend, and His faithfulness is not dependent upon mine. He is worthy of my complete trust, wholehearted obedience, and lifelong worship.

My knowing God statement comes from Nehemiah 12:43.

Knowing that God gave the people of Jerusalem such great joy that their rejoicing could be heard from far away shows me that I yearn for that kind of joy—a joy in the Lord that cannot be contained, but overflows so that others can see and hear the goodness of God in my life.

Oh Father God,

I come before You this morning ashamed of how distant I’ve been. During a time when I should be reaching out to You, I’ve been chipping little prayers here and there instead of sitting quietly before You. I don’t know why. It isn’t as though I’ve been busy with work or chores. I’ve just been distant, and I’m sorry.

And You know how easily my mind wanders. That’s why I type these prayers—it helps me stay focused and put into words what is on my heart. Help me bring my wandering thoughts back to You. Help me stay focused.

Lord, You have blessed me with so much—with an incredible family and friends, shelter, food, an incredible church, and an amazing church family. There is so much to thank You for, yet I’ve neglected time with the One who has given me these gifts. Please forgive me. I am reminded of Pastor Gallaty’s sermon— are you one of the disciples asleep in the garden when Jesus asked them to stay awake and pray for Him.

Thank You that I can come to You honestly, even in my shame, and trust Your mercy. Help me receive Your forgiveness and draw close again.

As I read Your Word today help me focus. Help me see what You want me to see, receive what You want to teach me, and respond in obedience. I love You, Lord, and I want my days to reflect that love.

I lift up my family, my friends, and those who don’t yet know You. Watch over us. Lead us closer to You. Open our eyes to see You, our ears to hear You, and our hearts to receive You.

I pray these things in the precious name of Your Son, King Jesus. Amen.

Knowing that God has already written the “book of truth” shows me that what looks uncertain from where I stand is not uncertain to Him. There are things happening that I cannot see or understand, but God is never surprised, never overwhelmed, and never without a plan. I can trust Him even when I cannot see what He is doing.
From Daniel 10:21

I started reading the book of Zechariah in the Minor Prophets of the Old Testament today. When I got to chapter 3, I had to stop.

WOW! Here I am in the Old Testament, and I’m seeing the message of the Gospel! I’m not reading about Jesus in the New Testament. I’m reading words written hundreds of years before Jesus came—and yet they point perfectly to the Messiah, King Jesus.

The Gospel according to Zechariah 3:

I stood before God with nothing clean to offer Him. My sin was real, and the accusation against me was deserved. But God did not leave me standing there in my filthy garments. He took away my iniquity and clothed me in what I could never provide for myself.

My hope is not that I can defend myself before God. My hope is Jesus—the promised Branch—who has done for me what I could never do for myself.

“Behold, I have taken your iniquity away from you, and I will clothe you with pure vestments.” — Zechariah 3:4

And then this beautiful promise:

“I will remove the iniquity of this land in a single day.” — Zechariah 3:9

Hundreds of years later, at the cross, Jesus would do just that—make the once-for-all sacrifice for sin. The Gospel was always God’s plan. And here it is, incredibly pictured in Zechariah 3.

My Knowing God statement comes from Ezekiel 48:35 this week where the book ends with God dwelling among His restored people --

And the name of the city from that time on shall be, The LORD Is There.” 

​Knowing God as “The LORD Is There” shows me that through judgment, exile, repentance, and restoration, His great 7purpose is to bring His people to Himself. Our greatest blessing is God Himself, present with us.