Devotional 3-25-10

“Reveling in Jesus”
John 12:1-8
A short time before his death Jesus was being honored at the home of Lazarus and his sisters Mary and Martha. Mary took a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume, and poured it on Jesus’ feet, wiping them with her hair. Judas objected saying that the perfume should have been sold and the money (a years wages) should have been used to help the poor. I have to tell you, when I read that I was agreeing with Judas. Perfume worth a years wages???! I can’t imagine spending a day's wages on perfume, much less a year's on perfume, so I’m probably not a very good judge, but it certainly seemed wasteful. I thought of Haiti and what a year's wages could do to alleviate suffering there. Now the verses go on to say that Judas had ulterior motives, as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was in it. Jesus rebuked Judas (and me) saying, “It was intended that she should save the perfume for the day of my burial. You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.” (NIV Bible)

My study Bible says that Jesus was making the point that money should not be the main focus of our lives. I think there is another lesson that we can take from this passage. To me, Mary was celebrating Jesus, the man. The washing of feet was a common occurrence in those days, but Mary took it a few steps further. She washed them herself with expensive perfume and dried them with her own hair. Mary wasn’t just washing his feet, she was reveling in having Jesus in her home, reveling in having him with her.

I think Jesus was telling us that there are times when we need to set aside all of our duties, our to do lists, even our good deeds and take time to celebrate the man Jesus. A man who got hungry and thirsty, a man who laughed and cried real tears, a man who enjoyed celebrations (even turning water to wine for one wedding), a man who got tired and dirty and needed his feet washed. But, a man who loved with a greater love than we can understand - loved enough to accept the humiliation and extreme pain of crucifixion. He endured this, not just to save those he knew and loved on earth at that time, but all that were then, and all of us who were yet to be.

Jesus felt pain as we feel pain, hurt as we hurt, yet He loved with a greater love than we can comprehend. Take time to revel in the man, Jesus!

Margaret Williams