SCRIPTURE: Mark 14
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
“Leave her alone,” said Jesus. “Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. [Mark 14:6] These last hours of Jesus must have been horrible for Him. He is preparing for death, and He knows it will not be easy – His passionate prayer in the garden makes that clear. He knows that His followers will fail Him – Judas will betray Him, Peter will deny Him, the others will run away from Him. He will be falsely accused by the religious leaders who ought to support Him. He will be mocked, abused, scourged, crucified – excruciating suffering. In the midst of all this, Jesus points out a beautiful thing.
What the woman does with the perfume is beautiful, Jesus is honoured and loved. Somehow this woman understands, appreciates Who Jesus is and what He represents. Jesus says that her offering will be remembered (and ought to be) wherever the message about Him is shared. Its not that Jesus does not care about the poor (in fact we have demonstrated less concern for the poor that have always been with us than Jesus did). But her fragrant sacrifice demonstrates love, gratitude, wonder, the kind of response we all ought to have because of Jesus.
Sadly, many do not appreciate the glory and the gory of Jesus – the amazing nature of Who He is, and the awful nature of what He endured. Somehow we need to appreciate more the full extent of His love, and then offer ourselves and our lives to highlight it. We are like fragrant offerings to Jesus, something beautiful for the Lord, when we draw attention to Jesus and His love by our words and actions. Its not enough to appreciate it for ourselves, we need to reveal it to others.
I do sense that the movie, the Passion (directed by Mel Gibson) is an example of something beautiful for God. By attempting to portray the glory and the gory, we are led to response – one way or another. I also sense that Mother Theresa, in the way she cared for the dying, was an example of something beautiful for God. She drew attention to those whom Jesus loved, whom Jesus died for. And she offered herself for Him, and for them, as a fragrant offering in a not-so fragrant place.
As we reflect on the suffering love of Jesus, may we be motivated to devote ourselves to drawing attention to Jesus, in all His gory and glory!
PRAYER:
Lord, I cannot fathom the full extent of Your love… but help me to appreciate it more. And help me share this with others!
As I read this passage, I wonder what I would have done if I were there when Jesus was arrested. It is easy to speculate that my reaction would have been different, perhaps, because I have seen Jesus, I have seen His power and I undoubtably believe in what He can do. Why did the diciples run away?
Today, the reality is that I all too often deny Jesus many times a day. Like Peter, I pretend I don’t know Him, and often it takes a modern day “rooster” to bring me back to my senses. God help me to be more sure of you, to take a stand when it is haard to do so, and forgive me when I don’t.
What a contrast! One spent a year’s wages to anoint His feet and another sold Him for 30 pieces of silver. One can not have God and mammon at the same time. Jesus demands our all.
All too often we talk about the denial by Peter, but the reading today once again reminded me that all the disciples did the same. As Christ Himself stated, the spirit is willing but the body is weak.
How do I offer myself in service today? How is Christ Jesus my ALL in all? In my doing this day, do those around me see a living letter, living for Jesus? Or when push comes to shove, do I also leave the Way and go my way?
Help me this day Lord to stand up for Jesus. May that be true each and every day as I live the Christian life – a follower of the Lamb.
Stand up, stand up for Jesus! ye soldiers of the cross;
Lift high His royal banner, it must not suffer loss:
From vict’ry unto vict’ry, His army shall He lead,
Till every foe is vanquished, and Christ is Lord indeed.
Stand up, stand up for Jesus! The trumpet call obey:
Forth to the mighty conflict, in this His glorious day;
Ye that are men now serve Him against unnumbered foes;
Let courage rise with danger, and strength to strength oppose.
Stand up, stand up for Jesus! Stand in His strength alone,
The arm of flesh will fail you, ye dare not trust your own;
Put on the gospel armor, and watching unto prayer,
Where calls the voice of duty, be never wanting there.
Stand up, stand up for Jesus! the strife will not be long;
This day the noise of battle, the next the victor’s song;
To him that overcometh a crown of life shall be;
He with the King of glory shall reign eternally.