Good Morning Everyone,
Our theme for this month: “Taking care of your soul”
Our Bible verse for today: “While He was in Bethany at the house of Simon who had a serious skin disease, as He was reclining at the table, a woman came with an alabaster jar of pure and expensive fragrant oil of nard. She broke the jar and poured it on His head.” Mark 14:3 (HCSB)
Our thought for today: “A healthy soul is extravagant for Jesus”
I love this scene in Mark 14:3-9. A woman brings a container of the most expensive fragrant oil available in her day and she uses all of it at once to anoint Jesus. It was a lavish and extraordinary display of devotion. In all likelihood this was a poor young woman, the expensive nard was probably part of her dowry, and in a single shot she voluntarily uses it all to bless the Lord. We know this was a tremendous expenditure of wealth because of the reaction we see from the disciples in the following verses. They were indignant at what they considered to be an incredible waste of resources on something that wasn’t useful or practical.
But Jesus didn’t see it that way at all. Instead He rebuked the disciples for their small-mindedness and for their tightwad hearts; and He commended the woman for her beautiful act of devotion. Jesus was deeply pleased with what she did, to the point that He said it would be recorded and celebrated by people in all generations to come.
This was an act of submission and surrender on her part. It was a vivid demonstration of where her heart was really at. This thing that seemed important and valuable by worldly standards was immaterial to her. Blessing the heart of Jesus, bringing a smile to His face, and receiving His approval – that was what mattered to her.
A healthy soul will be eagerly extravagant for Jesus. A healthy soul will pour out its very best, in full measure, and without hesitation or worry, for Jesus. Maybe that will involve bringing some worldly treasure and offering it for His use as this woman did, or it could involve any of a number of other things such as an act of mercy and compassion to a person in need, or a renewed commitment to ministry, or kneeling at the altar and rededicating your life.
When the soul is healthy the focus is on pleasing the Lord; earthly treasures and earthly pleasures pale by comparison. I encourage all of us to consider if we’re really giving our best, and in full measure, to the Lord.
God Bless,
Pastor Jim
Oak Hill Baptist Church 