Daily devotion – Tuesday 1st June 2021
John 12:3 – Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.
Worship can cost you. For Mary, the cost would not only be her alabaster box and oil, but she would be judged and criticised by Judas.
When King David danced before the Lord, his wife – 2 Samuel 6:20 – mocked him. But David went on to worship the Lord all the days of his life!
Michal, his wife, sadly lived a life where……she had no child unto the day of her death – 2 Samuel 6:23.
Those who critique or find fault with worship will often experience barrenness, dryness and uselessness. Just ask Michal! Ask Judas!
But then ask Mary about what worship really is.
The ointment she poured out upon Jesus was not used several days earlier on her brother Lazarus because she was saving it for Jesus’ burial.
Yet she did not use it at His burial either, for it was Mary Magdalene who went to anoint His body that first Easter early morning – not Mary of Bethany!
Nor was Mary of Bethany at the foot of the Cross. It was Mary, the mother of Jesus who was there.
Why?
Why did Mary of Bethany seemingly have no part in the death and burial of her Lord?
I believe it was because Mary understood something no one else comprehended. Although Jesus had spoken directly to His disciples, saying, “I’m going to die, be buried, and rise again after three days,” they did not get it! Mary was the only one who understood what was going to happen. She alone saw the big picture. She alone understood there was no need to save ointment for Jesus’ burial – because He was not going to stay buried. There was no need to go to the Cross with the others because that would not be the end of the story!
Why did Mary alone have such profound insight you ask? Because she alone was at His feet constantly, expressively and expectantly.
This week, be a worshipper in your morning devotions, in your evening readings; be a worshipper on Sundays and all through the week.
See what will happen, because like Mary the worshipper, you too will hear the Lord’s heart and you will know things that would be otherwise unknowable!