March 28th

High Noon

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... 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 26:7,13

Every story has a focal point, and the focal point of the Bible is the cross.

Every story also has supporting characters and mini-stories that lead up to the climax. Our verses today tell us the story of one of the most important supporting characters in the story of the cross.

This person is Mary, the sister of Lazarus. She came to the dinner party to which Jesus and all His disciples had come, and she brought with her a flask of perfume that represented her life, her dowry, and her identity. She broke open the flask and poured the whole thing out on Jesus' head so that the entire house smelled of the fragrance.

The perfume was all that she had. If she gave it away, wasting it on Jesus, then she was giving away every hope she had of ever getting married, of ever having children. And in those days, husbands and children (sons, specifically) were the ones who provided for the women. Without that flask, Mary was probably stuck with Lazarus for the rest of her life.

None of this was lost on her. She knew what it meant. She knew the full ramifications of her actions that day.

But she didn't care. She had already sold out to Jesus so completely that she knew He was worth such extravagant, fully surrendered worship.

No one else in the room agreed with what she did. Everyone thought it was a waste of her life. That is to say, everyone except for Jesus.

Jesus saw the devotion in Mary's heart that moved her to give her all to Him, and He praised her for it. In fact, He promised that wherever the gospel is preached, her story will be told. Incredible!

Are you like Mary, or are you holding out on God like everyone else in the room? Because if you're not like Mary, then you're missing out.

Prayer Lord Jesus,

You are worthy of me being like Mary, so I choose to have that same heart! I offer up all of my life to You right now. I break it open and pour it out before You, and I invite You to do whatever You want in my life. My life belongs to You!

Amen