January 30th
High Noon
And when Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, a woman came to Him having an alabaster flask of very costly fragrant oil, and she poured it on His head as he sat at the table…But when Jesus was aware of it, he said to them, Why do you trouble the woman?…Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.’ Matthew 26:6-7,10,13
What is the most generous gift you have ever given? What were the circumstances that led to you giving that gift?
I love stories of generous giving. Without fail, each one of them is a love story in which someone reveals what is truly important to them in a truly powerful way. Certainly one of the most incredible stories of generous giving is the story of Mary that is told in our verses today.
Mary enters into this story without one thought toward you or me or anyone in the room at the time, her heart of worship set only before the Lord. She takes this alabaster jar-that’s a very fine, thin, beautiful, almost transparent glassand shatters it to pour out this perfumed oil on Jesus’ head, and it flows down and covers His feet as she shows us, truly, the heart of a worshiper.
The bottle represents her life. It represents her identity. It represents her dowry, which means that she was giving up the possibility of ever getting married, and in the culture of the time, that was financial suicide. That bottle was much more than just some little perfume bottle. It was all that she had. And with all that she has, her actions become a legacy of what true surrendered worship looks like.
She didn’t hold anything back. Yet how many of us just continue to sort of justify all that we’re holding back because of this and because of that?
You know what? Mary had absolutely no regard whatsoever for the economy when she broke open that flask, no concern whatsoever of her own personal needs as she opened up that flask.
And if you’re kind of looking at it going, Well, I don’t know if that’s all that smart, that’s what the disciples were saying. But Jesus praises her for it, even declaring that throughout the course of history, her story would proclaim, This is what it truly means to worship.
Are you holding out on God? Because if you’re holding out, you’re missing out. Whatever you’re still holding back is being held back from His blessings.
Won’t you pour out your all to Him today?
Prayer Lord Jesus,
You are so worthy of my everything and my all! When I know Your love for me, how can I do anything but completely give myself to You? As Mary poured out her life to You, I pour myself out to You today!
Amen