John 12:3 Mary then took a pound of very costly perfume of pure nard, and ANOINTED the feet of Jesus and wiped His feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. Matt 26: [12] "For when she poured this perfume on My body, she did it to prepare Me for burial. [13] "Truly I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be spoken of in memory of her."
DEVOTE:
This is a fitting act of devotion to our sacrificed Saviour– to pour out our lives to Him in humility as something “very costly”. Jesus said that we love much when we’ve been forgiven much (Luke 7:47) The fragrance of a life completely surrendered to God is the reflex of authentic gratitude. At one time, “ Mary, was seated at the Lord's feet, listening to His word. 40 But Martha was distracted with all her preparations; 41 But the Lord said to her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; 42 but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her." (Luke 10:39-42) Our lives need to “smell” of this priority – the “one thing that is necessary” - endearing devotion to Christ in prayer. Being distracted with preparations, worried and hurried, is an indication of restless competition, not prayerful gratitude.
When the true Gospel is preached, it releases this sacrificial aroma in God’s people.
This anointing was for burial, and “You have an anointing from the Holy One” (1 John 2:20) Is your anointing also for burial? The “fragrance” of Christians who have had their flesh put through the fire, makes them the incense-bearers of the true Gospel.
PRAY:
My Father, please forgive me for my frenetic pace. I smell like burning rubber! I want the Gospel to produce the aroma of sacrificial devotion to You. Please work in me so that the “one thing necessary” becomes the priority of my life. Thank you, Lord.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
THE LOVE
John 13:1 Now before the Feast of the Passover, Jesus knowing that His hour had come that He would depart out of this world to the Father, having LOVED His own who were in the world, He LOVED them to the end.
DEVOTE:
John 3:16 tells us that, "God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” As the Son “loved His own who were in the world, (and) loved them to the end”, He said, "Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.”(John 15:13)
What kind of love is this? Kind love indeed! That Christ should consummate friendship with sinners by dying on a cruel cross! Oh, friend, does your heart not flutter like David’s when he says in Psalm 139:6 “Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is too high, I cannot attain to it”?
What mysterious and alien love is this, that “God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”? (Rom 5:8) If true love was ever proven, it was proven in God going to the cross for you in a human body!
If the new commandment is to love one another, are we loving like Jesus? The answer is simple. It is found in 1 John 3:16: “We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.”
PRAY:
Father, thank you so much for demonstrating your love in the greatest way possible. Please help me to love like you love, Lord, and help me to respond with sacrifice to your sacrifice. I ask this in the name of Love
DEVOTE:
John 3:16 tells us that, "God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” As the Son “loved His own who were in the world, (and) loved them to the end”, He said, "Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.”(John 15:13)
What kind of love is this? Kind love indeed! That Christ should consummate friendship with sinners by dying on a cruel cross! Oh, friend, does your heart not flutter like David’s when he says in Psalm 139:6 “Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is too high, I cannot attain to it”?
What mysterious and alien love is this, that “God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”? (Rom 5:8) If true love was ever proven, it was proven in God going to the cross for you in a human body!
If the new commandment is to love one another, are we loving like Jesus? The answer is simple. It is found in 1 John 3:16: “We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.”
PRAY:
Father, thank you so much for demonstrating your love in the greatest way possible. Please help me to love like you love, Lord, and help me to respond with sacrifice to your sacrifice. I ask this in the name of Love
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