Back to You

Why is the grace of God so hard for us to understand and accept? Maybe it is because we are so accustomed to earning everything by ourselves (from grades in school to paychecks at work, etc.)? Sometimes we get it and sometimes it’s like we’re trying to learn a foreign language. The bible is crystal-clear on the teaching of grace. Maybe we need to spend more time studying our bibles and less time reasoning with worldly wisdom when it comes to our salvation.

Mandisa’s lyrics are enlightening in her song entitled Back to You. Her chorus is: “This shouldn’t be complicated – This isn’t that hard to see – It’s not about what I do for you – It’s what you’ve done for me”.

The first time I listened those words I thought it was speaking about repenting and coming back to God; however, the song is about giving our life back to Jesus since He has given Himself to us. She is deeply moved by Jesus’ love as He gave His life for her; consequently, she wants to give her life back to Jesus to be used by Him to bring glory to the Father.

The apostle Paul writes,^“For I am the least of the apostles, and not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me. (I Corinthians 15:9-10). At one time Paul lived for Paul and that got him into deep trouble. We do the same thing according to Romans 3:23: “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”. When we come to know Jesus and His saving love on the cross we want to live for Him because His love captivates our hearts.

Read Luke 7:36-50. Then listen to Back to You by Mandisa. Then give your life to Jesus like never before.

Now one of the Pharisees was requesting Him to eat with him, and He entered the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. And there was a woman in the city who was a sinner; and when she learned that He was reclining at the table in the Pharisee’s house, she brought an alabaster vial of perfume, and standing behind Him at His feet, weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears, and she wiped them with the hair of her head, and began kissing His feet and anointing them with the perfume. Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet He would know who and what sort of person this woman is who is touching Him, that she is a sinner!”

And Jesus responded and said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he replied, “Say it, Teacher.” “A moneylender had two debtors: the one owed five hundred denarii, and the other, fifty. When they were unable to repay, he canceled the debts of both. So which of them will love him more?” Simon answered and said, “I assume the one for whom he canceled the greater debt.” And He said to him, “You have judged correctly.” And 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. You gave Me no kiss; but she has not stopped kissing My feet since the time I came in. You did not anoint My head with oil, but she anointed My feet with perfume. For this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much; but the one who is forgiven little, loves little.” And He said to her, “Your sins have been forgiven.” And then those who were reclining at the table with Him began saying to themselves, “Who is this man who even forgives sins?” And He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”