A few blogs back I referenced the story of Mary and Martha and the need for Martha to keep her focus on the better things and that was brought up by Jesus when He visited their home. So the story in John 11 goes like this A man named Lazarus was sick. He lived in Bethany with his sisters, Mary and Martha.2 This is the Mary who later poured the expensive perfume on the Lord’s feet and wiped them with her hair. Her brother, Lazarus, was sick.3 So the two sisters sent a message to Jesus telling him, “Lord, your dear friend is very sick.” Their brother, Lazarus was sick and dying and they sent word to Jesus to come quickly, but Jesus did not come quickly and Lazarus died. When Jesus arrived He raised Lazarus back to life.
This other Mary is also mentioned in John 12:3 Then Mary took a twelve-ounce jar of expensive perfume made from essence of nard, and she anointed Jesus’ feet with it, wiping his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance. This perfume was kept in an alabaster jar and could have been equivalent to a year's wages or 300 denarii. Mary also exposed her head or hair, which was not something women of that day would not do. So Mary annointing Jesus' feet went well beyond the traditions of the day and it shows an intimate moment in Mary's life. This anointing by Mary was six days after the Passover and Jesus was at the home of Lazarus, the man He had raised from the dead.
Get this!! The man Jesus had raised from the dead was at the table eating with Jesus. If I were there it would be difficult to keep everything in focus after the events that had transpired, if I were Mary. Just imagine the scene through her eyes, and imagine her seeing her formerly dead brother sitting at the table, ALIVE. So we immediately see Mary get down on her knees and expose her hair and take the oil and begin wiping Jesus feet with the oil. Mary KNEW and REMEMBERED what had just happened and she was not about to forget the blessing of Jesus in her situation. She had not become NUMB to the fact that the Savior of the world, the Messiah, had brought her brother back FROM THE DEAD!
Guess what!! We are like Lazarus....I mean in a spiritual way. We were dead in our sins. With no hope! And Jesus called us out to life and He gave us TRUE LIFE. We not only looked at someone else receiving this LIFE like Mary, but we RECEIVED this life!!! I believe sometimes we forget the situation that occured when we received Jesus and then we become numb to the fact of what has happened. WE WERE DEAD....IN OUR SINS.... And Jesus brought us to life. If we really look deep into what happened when we received Christ I believe we will see the impact that it should have on our life. No amount of Hollywood FX can visualize that scene any better than our hearts and minds can. So how does the raising of your life from the penalty of sin affect you in the days after salvation. Do you feel like annointing and serving your Lord? If not, you may have a little numbness that has worked into your life and you need to access the source of your faith and that is Jesus.
Come with your offering of your life and kneel at His feet and annoint Him for His great sacrifice of love and then walk away afresh and anew. The Psalmist wrote it this way in Psalms 51:12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you. Read the story below and see the result of becoming numb and indifferent about serving.
The great violinist, Niccolo Paganini willed his marvelous violin to the city of Genoa on one condition that it must never be played. The wood of such an instrument, while used and handled, wears only slightly, but set aside, it begins to decay. Paganini's lovely violin has today become worm-eaten and useless except as a relic. A Christian's unwillingness to serve may soon destroy their capacity for usefulness. We are not relics because we are being renewed every day to serve our Lord. 2 Corinthians 4:16 That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day.
It is a matter of the will.....the will of God!! Surrender to His Will today and He will use you in an extraordinary way for His glory. Wake up from the slumber of your spiritual sleep because Jesus is calling you out and it is time to awaken.
The Pilgrimage Continues.....
David Warren
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