Focus

Prepare yourself to discern what is and what is not of God today. Still yourself so you can hear how God is calling you.

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Read

John 12:1-8 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. There they gave a dinner for him. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those at the table with him. Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus’ feet, and wiped them with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was about to betray him), said, “Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?” (He said this not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief; he kept the common purse and used to steal what was put into it.) Jesus said, “Leave her alone. She bought it so that she might keep it for the day of my burial. You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.”

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Reflect

Let’s look a minute at verses two and three. Here we find three different people mentioned, Martha, Lazarus, and Mary. It is interesting to note that each of these followers of Jesus had a different passion, a different disposition of heart in how they chose to honor Jesus.

The first one mentioned is Martha. The Scripture says they made Him a supper and Martha served. You find this picture of Martha, cooking, serving, giving the best of her heart to God through the gift of hospitality. You see, for Martha, honoring Jesus meant serving Him, doing that which she loved to do. Today some may say that it was her love language and she demonstrated her love to Jesus through this gift.
The next person mentioned is Lazarus. The Scripture simply says that Lazarus was one of those reclining at the table with Him. It would be easy to read something negative into the text and call Lazarus lazy, but that would be a mistake. While Martha wanted to serve Jesus, Lazarus simply wanted to enjoy His presence. He wanted to fellowship with Him, talk with Him, ask Him questions, and listen to Him speak, he wanted to enjoy every minute he had with the Master.

But then look at verse 3, where we find Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus. Instead of serving Jesus food, instead of simply enjoying a conversation with Him, Mary anointed His feet with oil and wiped his feet with her hair and the odor of the ointment filled the house.

There are different levels at which we worship Him, when you’re in love with Jesus, the aroma of that love, of that reverence, of that fellowship bleeds out all around you. Even as the aroma filled the house where Jesus was, it will fill the place wherever you are.

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Pray

God, open our spiritual eyes to see opportunities where Jesus can be honored every day. God work around us, enable us to bring Glory to Him. Help us to be more aware of opportunities to honor Him.

Go with God!