Enemies
are trying to take His life.
Jesus knows He will soon voluntarily give it to redeem us. In dire need of
refuge, He walks two miles to his friends’ house.
They welcome Him into their
space and greet Him with a kiss. They wash His feet and show Him a
comfortable place to sit. They release their plans and give Him their time
and attention. They make dinner which takes hours to prepare. Later,
everyone gathers around the table and lingers over the delightful smells,
sights, and tastes of a filling meal.
After dinner Mary slips silently
from the room. She returns with some expensive ointment. Resolved to use
more than words to express her inexpressible appreciation for Jesus, she
opens the jar and spoons some out with her fingers. She massages it into His
dry, cracked feet.
Everyone is taken in by her
actions. Not a person there is unaffected by her wholehearted giving and
the remarkable, soothing fragrance which fills the entire house. Some
become uncomfortable and critical. They say they’re thinking of the poor –
the ointment could have been sold, given to the needy.
But Jesus accepts, and even
condones, her extravagant action. He says, “Leave her alone.” Why?
It’s not about poverty or the
money. It’s about knowing Him well enough to acknowledge what He’s given.
It’s about pouring out love and thanks because He receives you just as you
are. What can you give in this moment — because this moment is all you
have?
Lord
Jesus Christ, open the locked up parts of ourselves so that we may be able
to express our love and thanks to you in both our words and our actions.
Amen.
Go
Deeper — Is there a specific way you
can express love for Jesus today?
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