Jesus Anointed at Bethany
Holy Week // Day 4
Scripture - Mark 14:1-10 NIV
“Now the Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread were only two days away, and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were scheming to arrest Jesus secretly and kill him. “But not during the festival,” they said, “or the people may riot.” While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head. Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, “Why this waste of perfume? It could have been sold for more than a year’s wages and the money given to the poor.” And they rebuked her harshly. “Leave her alone,” said Jesus. “Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me. She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial. Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.” Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Jesus to them.”
Devotional
Pop-out Scripture - Mark 14:8-9
8 She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial. 9 Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.
Do you feel like your efforts on this earth are unappreciated or even unnoticed? You make a delicious dinner, and the kids complain. You work hard to save your company thousands of dollars, and your colleague gets the promotion. You put your blood, sweat, and tears into a service project, and the people you’re serving don’t even say, “thank you.” The woman in this account sacrifices a real treasure–a bottle of perfume worth a year’s wages–in worship of the Lord. Yet when people saw it, they chastised her for being wasteful. Rest assured, dear friend, that you are not here for the fleeting recognition of your friends, family, peers, supervisors, or even those you serve. The Lord in Heaven sees you, knows your heart, and has an eternal memory. His rewards are far greater than those any mere human could give.