7 "Leave her alone," Jesus replied. "It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial.

8 You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me." 

 

I thought about the preacher’s comments. “We were made to worship. That is the greatest thing we can do both on the earth and in heaven.” Is worshipping the Lord more important than feeding the hungry?

       

Many will criticize money used for a sanctuary while others desire the money to go toward the homeless. It seems Jesus is relating a truth that we find in Ecclesiastes 3:1 “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven”

      

We respond to Jesus by both worshipping and giving a cup of cold water in Jesus’ name. We respond to His love by adoring Him with all we have and serving others that they might know the love and kindness of Christ. Worship is more than what is done in church; it is ascribing worth, honor and praise in being the provider of beauty as well as food, of salvation as well as meeting our temporary needs.

        

Jesus was to go to the cross. He used this time of anointing to remind His disciples of His coming death and burial. John and the others realized the significance of this statement after the resurrection.  Jesus knew why He was to be in Jerusalem during the Passover. He knew His Father’s plans.  Such ointment was used for burial purposes. She was honoring Him in a way that even she had no knowledge. She worshipped. God confirmed this as a holy act. Jesus knew the hearts of the disciples. The value of the ointment was of greater concern than the witness of worship.

      

When I think of the extravagant cathedrals of Europe my admiration goes out to those who planned it and constructed it as an expression of their faith in the grandeur and exaltation of Jesus. As I toured some of these magnificent structures in Europe, it struck me that the faith of the fathers certainly did not carry over to the generations that followed. Faith today seemed dead. It seemed materialistic in the state churches I visited. It was ritualistic. Worship seemed for the most part was not out of a heart filled with love and devotion to our Lord, but out of duty, obligation and tradition. Even the alms collected for the poor showed limited compassion.

    

The worship of the Lord by Mary was out of love and was used of God to point to the redemption paid by Jesus with His death. Worship is also assisting those in need as that delights our Lord.

Mary chose the best part. She was used of God for prophetic purposes. It was designed to prepare His body for burial in the best way possible. Her actions were done in worship

Prayer:  Lord, as I look at You, lead me into worship with the knowledge of Your Holiness.

Dale