Bethany

The Fragrance of the Perfume

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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. John 12:3 NKJV

While Hollywood has generally given us the impression that Mary was a young beautiful woman; that may not have been the reality. In that time even poor young beautiful women would have been married and Mary was not poor. While we do not know Mary’s age it seems possible that she and Martha were both widows, living with their brother Lazarus. That would give us an entirely different view than the film version. In this scene we meet a Mary who kept all her savings in that perfume jar. It acted as something of a retirement account. As she grew older with no marital prospects, no way to work or even the right to own property that perfume was all she had besides the kindness of her brother. She was presenting that gift in a single defining moment as her worship and expression of love to the Lord Jesus.

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Photo by Abby Chung on Pexels.com

As the fragrance filled the room people began one by one to realize how exorbitant and yes even a little crazy what Mary was doing really was! Her family and friends were shocked but silent. Then one by one the disciples, beginning with Judas, began to protest. “Why wasn’t this sold …and given to the poor?”

But Jesus knew Mary’s heart and while she remained silently at His feet He defended her. Today we have little to describe how Peter or John, Andrew or Phillip worshiped, but Mary’s gift is still remembered. After 2,000 years, her perfume continues to fill each of our rooms with its fragrance!

A Martha Heart at Thanksgiving

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There they made him a supper; and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him. John 12:2

With a big dinner in the works for many tomorrow I thought to re-post this article on Martha. Though we often admire Mary’s example we must not forget that Jesus also loved Martha. Martha was the bold one who publicly invited Jesus and all 12 of His disciples to her house for dinner! Just as Mary listened and learned from Jesus, Martha also learned in her own way.

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So if you find yourself up to your elbows in turkey on Thursday morning feeling a bit less than thankful ask God to give you a Martha heart.  Though she had begun her relationship with Jesus by complaining about her sister, she had also accepted correction opening the door for inner change. And a year later, when Jesus failed to come and heal her brother a Martha who was growing in her faith was waiting at the edge of town. This Martha who asked Him why He had allowed Lazarus to die, was also equally quick to believe when Jesus told her that He was the resurrection and the life.

After Jesus raised Lararus from the dead she did what she did best, She helped cook a gigantic thanksgiving feast! At that dinner Jesus came and sat by Lazarus and Mary came and washed His feet but instead of complaining this new Martha simply gratefully cooked the food and washed the plates. While her sister Mary lavished her love on Jesus with perfumed ointment, Martha lavished her love on the Master by putting food on His plate. In the same way that the air was filled with the fragrance of the perfume, it was also filled with the aroma of Martha’s cooking!

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Oh yes we know the story of Mary will be told forever, but we must never forget that Jesus also loved Martha. Martha also gave the best she had. So while you are serving a Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow remember your sister Martha.  Don’t let disappointment or discouragement keep you from just giving your best and keeping your eyes on Jesus no matter where you sit at His table!

Martha’s Heart

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There they made him a supper; and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him. John 12:2

Though we often admire Mary’s example we must not forget that Jesus also loved Martha. Martha was the bold one who publicly invited Jesus and all 12 disciples to her house for dinner! Just as Mary listened and learned from Jesus, Martha also learned in her own way. Though she worked in the kitchen, and complained about her sister, she also accepted correction. Later when Jesus failed to come and heal her brother Martha was waiting at the edge of town to ask Him why He had allowed Lazarus to die. But she was also equally quick to believe when Jesus told her that He was the resurrection and the life. At the same dinner when Jesus came and sat by Lazarus and Mary came and washed His feet, Martha cooked the food and washed the plates. As Mary lavished her love on Jesus with the ointment, Martha lavished hers with service. As the air was filled with the fragrance of the perfume, so too the air was also filled with the aroma of Martha’s dinner. Oh yes we know the story of Mary will be told forever, but we must never forget that Jesus also loved Martha. Martha gave the best she had. If you are a Martha don’t be ashamed, just give your best and learn like she did to focus your eyes on Jesus and serve Him wherever you are!

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