A Devotional Thought by Don Andrews
One of my favorite verses is Luke 7:47, "Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven---for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little." My simple paraphrase is "One who has been forgiven much, loves much".
Nearly 45 years ago, my wife (Sharon) and I attended a weekend church retreat at Alliance Redwoods near Occidental, CA. I had become very friendly with the pastor and had good friends in the congregation because of my occasional visiting. That Saturday night Sharon's pastor, Phillip Howard, and I were having a one-on-one conversation about the wholesome atmosphere in the room. Something he asked broke my unbelieving heart. He asked, "Don, what is holding you back?" Instantly, I believed that Jesus was truly MY SAVIOR. I began to weep uncontrollably and motioned to Sharon to leave with me for our cabin.
Since she had been a Christian for many years, she was elated. The first thing she did was share a verse with me. "Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world---the cravings of the sinful man, the lust of the eyes and the boasting of what he has and does---comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God LIVES FOREVER" (1 John 2:15-17).
Why would she immediately share these verses with me? Because they fit my life perfectly! I was very worldly and running around feverishly to satisfy my selfishness. What a relief to be freed from that! Within a few months I quit one of my two jobs and then had the time and will to be a husband and father. I also was able to become a better friend.
Ever since making Jesus my Savior, God's grace has allowed me to love him more and more because I have been forgiven much.
Don Andrews is a new member of our PGCC Leadership Team and the liaison to the Building and Grounds Committee.
