READING:
One-year plan: Matthew 25-26
Two-year plan: Lamentations 4-5, Hebrews 11:11-24
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We know from John 12:3 that she was Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus. Apparently, she and her sister and brother went with Jesus to the home of Simon, a leper whom Jesus likely had healed. There, Mary did something both unexpected and elaborate: she broke an alabaster jar of expensive perfume and poured the perfume over Jesus’ head and feet (Mark 14:3-9, John 12:1-8). I can only imagine how strange it must have seemed to the disciples when Mary covered her Lord in perfume – perfume that the disciples, particularly Judas for wrong reasons, thought could have been sold for money. Now, though, no such option existed. The aroma of the perfume may have wafted through the room, but any option of anyone benefiting further from the perfume had vanished, it seemed.
That was not the case, though. Jesus rebutted the disciples’ concerns with these words: “By pouring this fragrant oil on My body, she has prepared Me for burial” (Matt 26:12). It’s doubtful that Mary understood she was doing that, though we can only wonder if she sensed how intense the opposition to Jesus had become. Surely she knew that her act was an expression of extravagant love, a sacrifice of almost unexplainable proportions – the equivalent of almost a year’s salary poured on her Lord. Nothing stopped her, though, from pressing past the others and their concerns to show her love to Jesus. Sacrificing all she had for Jesus was worth it.
Some years ago, I heard for the first time a Steve Green song based on this woman’s story. That song still echoes in my head as a reminder that Jesus was broken and spilled out for us.
PERSONAL REFLECTION: Do you love God extravagantly?
PRAYER: “I give myself to You, Lord.”
TOMORROW’S READING:
One-year plan: Matthew 27-28
Two-year plan: Ezekiel 1:1-3:15, Hebrews 11:25-40
MEMORIZATION VERSE (October 1-15)
“Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. Otherwise, you have no reward with your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 6:1)
Chuck Lawless
Vice-President for Spiritual Formation and Ministry Centers
Dean of Doctoral Studies
Senior Professor of Evangelism and Missions
Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary
919.761.2104 | www.sebts.edu | visit us