God Is Your Protector

Protected and Safe

From: Our Daily Journey

Mar 31, 2017

Read:

Genesis 3:1-15
He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel (Genesis 3:15).

Molly DeLuca was playing in her backyard with the German shepherd her family had recently adopted. Suddenly, the canine leaped in front of her and began jumping up and down. He was protecting Molly from a rattlesnake that had slithered onto the scene. Later, the dog was rushed to the veterinarian where the family learned that he’d been bitten three times by the reptile. Amazingly, he made a complete recovery.

When Eve encountered Satan disguised as a snake in the garden of Eden (Genesis 3:1), her body wasn’t poisoned by venom, but her mind was infected by Satan’s lies. She became convinced that satisfaction awaited her if she ignored what God said and ate the forbidden fruit.

Eve took a bite and Adam followed her example (Genesis 3:6). Later, when God confronted their sin, He spoke prophetically. To the snake, He said, “I will cause hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head and you will strike his heel” (Genesis 3:15). Thousands of years later, this prophecy came true when Jesus was crucified. He suffered temporarily, but His resurrection permanently broke “the power of the devil, who had the power of death” (Hebrews 2:14).

Unfortunately, Satan still has some power. Like a snake in the grass, he strikes by tempting us. If he’s successful, he swaggers up in front of God and accuses us of our sin. Jesus, however, intervenes and stands up for His followers (1 John 2:1-2). He comes to our rescue, declaring that His blood has already paid for our sin.

Satan’s accusations are dispelled by God and His power. We’re safe forever in Him—our Protector who is alive and well!

God Rescues Us

Life and Death

From: Our Daily Bread

March 30, 2017

Read: Genesis 50:22–26 | Bible in a Year: Judges 9–10; Luke 5:17–39

I am about to die. But God will surely come to your aid. Genesis 50:24

I will never forget sitting at the bedside of my friend’s brother when he died; the scene was one of the ordinary visited by the extraordinary. Three of us were talking quietly when we realized that Richard’s breathing was becoming more labored. We gathered around him, watching, waiting, and praying. When he took his last breath, it felt like a holy moment; the presence of God enveloped us in the midst of our tears over a wonderful man dying in his forties.

Many of the heroes of our faith experienced God’s faithfulness when they died. For instance, Jacob announced he would soon be “gathered to [his] people” (Gen. 49:29–33). Jacob’s son Joseph also announced his impending death: “I am about to die,” he said to his brothers while instructing them how to hold firm in their faith. He seems to be at peace, yet eager that his brothers trust the Lord (50:24).

We can believe the promise that Jesus will prepare a place for us in His Father’s house.

None of us knows when or how we will breathe our last breath, but we can ask God to help us trust that He will be with us. We can believe the promise that Jesus will prepare a place for us in His Father’s house (John 14:2–3).

Lord God, Your dwelling place will be with Your people, and You will be our God, wiping away our tears and banishing death. May it be so!

The Lord will never abandon us, especially at the time of our death.

Don’t Get Stuck

From: Get More Strength.org

Mar

29

2017

“Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.” Hebrews 11:16

I had just landed in Phoenix for some meetings when the clerk at the rental car desk told me they were all out of cars except for one expensive luxury car that he would give me for the compact rate.

Admittedly, I was a little worried that someone seeing me drive up in this cool over-the-top auto would think that I had lost any sense of good stewardship. But it was, take the car or walk. So I took the car! And, I must admit, I loved driving the car—until my trip back to the airport.

Gliding down the highway in style, I heard an ominous thumping noise and knew immediately that it was a flat tire. I was stuck, and regardless of how nice the car was, I was going nowhere and would probably miss the plane. You probably know the feeling. You need to get somewhere and suddenly you’re stuck in a snowdrift or a muddy ditch—or you get a flat tire. No matter what, getting stuck is not a good thing.

And as bad as it is when you’re traveling, it’s even worse if you get stuck spiritually. You probably know what it’s like. Someone special to you wounds you with their words or actions, and rather than forgiving and turning the other cheek you get stuck in a fight with them only to realize that the more you try to get even the more stuck you become. Or perhaps in the midst of difficult circumstances, seeds of disappointment and bitterness take root and you get stuck in discouragement land. To say nothing of the fact that the spiritual blow of unconfessed sin can completely immobilize us.

All of this makes me love what I read in Hebrews 11: 6-16 . Real people, living in a world like yours and mine, refused to get stuck by the disappointing and discouraging circumstances of their lives. The common thread woven through these individuals is the fact that they saw themselves as “aliens and strangers” in this world, on their way to a “better country—a heavenly one.” Simply put, they caught sight of the fact that they were on a journey and that something greater awaited them. Nothing, or no one, would deter them from keeping their eyes on where they were headed. They refused to get stuck! And in Hebrews 11:16, we get a glimpse of God’s pleasure and delight in the way they persisted in their journey when we read that He is not “ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.”

So, the next time someone’s words or actions threaten to mire you down—the next time life’s circumstances give you an excuse to blow out and get stuck—remember who you are and where you’re headed. There isn’t a person or thing in your life that is worth getting stuck for! You’re headed home. They can duke it out by themselves if they choose!

You Are Priceless

You Are A Priceless Gem

From: Get More Strength.org

Mar

28

2017

“To him who overcomes . . . I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it.” Revelation 2:17

Is there anyone out there as excited as I am that it’s baseball season again? Some questions were once brewing about “the Friendly Confines”—the home field of my beloved Chicago Cubs. When the ownership of the team once changed hands, fans wondered if the historic ballpark at Clark and Addison would continue to be called Wrigley Field, or whether the “naming rights” might be up for auction to the highest bidder who could then change the name to identify the old ballpark with his or her name. In the bigger picture, of course, it’s not a life-or-death issue (except maybe to some diehard Cubs fans). But the debate brings up an interesting topic.

When we come into this world, our parents give us a name. It goes on our birth certificate, gets written across the top of our school papers, and serves as a means of identification throughout our whole life. But our given name is just the beginning.

Almost immediately, we begin acquiring nicknames. Some are just abbreviated versions of our official name. I’m rarely called Joseph (unless I’m in trouble) and was branded with Joe early on. Other nicknames, pleasant or not so pleasant, are descriptive of our characteristics or actions—and if you’re a guy, you hope for something like Slugger or Champ! Throughout our lives we will probably end up with a couple of very specific nicknames from a loved one, such as Honey, Princess, or Sweetie. Nobody else uses those nicknames; they’re just for that special person.

Scripture tells us that God is going to eventually give us a new name. Hey, if you aren’t so thrilled with the name your parents gave you, take heart, a new one is on the way! But more important, think of the level of relationship this implies. There is a name that is going to be just between you and God. It is His special name for you! And while Scripture doesn’t tell us exactly how God chooses a new name, we do know that every time He changed a name in Scripture—like Abram to Abraham, Sarai to Sarah, and Jacob to Israel—it was to remind someone of a new way He was going to work in their lives. In other words, it was a positive, encouraging change.

John shares another important detail about this new name in Revelation 2:17. Quoting Jesus, he writes, “I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it.” Before you start picturing this as something like a plaque or a mini-license plate from a gift shop with your name on it, you have to understand an important custom from New Testament times. In those days, an invitation to a special, exclusive event would arrive in the form of a white piece of marble with your name engraved on it. On the day of the gala event, you would present that piece of marble at the door as your means of access to the celebration. So Jesus is actually saying, “The day is coming when I’m going to give you a new name, known only to you and me, engraved on a white piece of stone as your entry and invitation into eternity.” Wow! Incredible!

I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait to find out my new name. After all, He bought the naming rights for my life!

It's Time For A Change

Time For A Change

[Written by Joe Stowell for Our Daily Bread.]

Mar

27

2017

This Man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what manner of woman this is who is touching Him, for she is a sinner. —Luke 7:39

A friend once told me, “In my lifetime I’ve seen a lot of things change, and I’ve been against them all!” Perhaps he overstated the point, but many of us would agree that we don’t like change—especially if it involves altering our habits and attitudes.

That’s one reason Jesus was so unpopular among the Pharisees. He challenged their long-established system of good works and self-righteous living. Consider the incident when the town “sinner” entered the home of the town “saint” in Luke 7:36-50. Simon the Pharisee wasn’t impressed with the woman’s lavish display of affection for Jesus. Reading Simon’s self-righteous thoughts, Jesus immediately challenged his flawed perception of his own goodness by telling the story of two debtors—one who owed much to his master and one who owed less. “Which of them will love him more?” Jesus asked (Luke 7:42). Obviously, the one who had been forgiven more. Speaking to Simon’s I-feel-pretty-good-about-myself attitude, Jesus said, “to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little” (Luke 7:47).

The challenge is clear. Lulled into thinking how good we are, our love for Jesus wanes because we have forgotten that we too are among the ones “forgiven much.” And when that happens, ready or not, it’s time for a change!

Forgive us, Lord, for failures past,
Then help us start anew
With strength and courage to obey
And closely follow You. —Sper

When God starts changing things, He usually begins with changing us.

Create In Me A Clean Heart

Spiritual Vision Through Personal Purity

From: Utmost.org

March 26, 2017

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. —Matthew 5:8

Purity is not innocence— it is much more than that. Purity is the result of continued spiritual harmony with God. We have to grow in purity. Our life with God may be right and our inner purity unblemished, yet occasionally our outer life may become spotted and stained. God intentionally does not protect us from this possibility, because this is the way we recognize the necessity of maintaining our spiritual vision through personal purity. If the outer level of our spiritual life with God is impaired to the slightest degree, we must put everything else aside until we make it right. Remember that spiritual vision depends on our character— it is “the pure in heart” who “see God.”

God makes us pure by an act of His sovereign grace, but we still have something that we must carefully watch. It is through our bodily life coming in contact with other people and other points of view that we tend to become tarnished. Not only must our “inner sanctuary” be kept right with God, but also the “outer courts” must be brought into perfect harmony with the purity God gives us through His grace. Our spiritual vision and understanding is immediately blurred when our “outer court” is stained. If we want to maintain personal intimacy with the Lord Jesus Christ, it will mean refusing to do or even think certain things. And some things that are acceptable for others will become unacceptable for us.

A practical help in keeping your personal purity unblemished in your relations with other people is to begin to see them as God does. Say to yourself, “That man or that woman is perfect in Christ Jesus! That friend or that relative is perfect in Christ Jesus!”

Clueless At The Light

From: Our Daily Journey

Mar 25, 2017

Read:

Proverbs 22:17-25
Don’t . . . associate with hot-tempered people, or you will learn to be like them (Proverbs 22:24-25).

Ahead of me, two rows of cars waited for the traffic light to turn from red to green. Beside us, in the turn lane, a third line of vehicles awaited a green arrow so they could turn left.

The turn-lane arrow turned green. Our light remained red. But both vehicles in front of me (the two cars not in the turn lane) proceeded as if the green arrow applied to them! The horn-honking from opposing traffic was, shall we say, emphatic. Both drivers had been influenced by the driver in the turn lane—and each other—without a clue that their light was still red.

Whether intentional or otherwise, we do influence each other. And how easily we’re swayed when uncertain of the truth!

Among the “thirty sayings” he left for his son, King Solomon said this about influence: “Listen to the words of the wise; apply your heart to my instruction. For it is good to keep these sayings in your heart” (Proverbs 22:17-18). Then he noted the importance of choosing good friends. “Don’t befriend angry people or associate with hot-tempered people, or you will learn to be like them and endanger your soul” (Proverbs 22:24-25).

It’s important to be discerning when choosing friends. At times, however, even trusted friends will display negative behaviors. So whose lead should we follow? Well, it’s hard to go wrong when we keep our eyes on the One who is the Truth. As the apostle Paul said, “Imitate me just as I imitate Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1).

The more we follow leaders with integrity, heed wise counsel, and surround ourselves with friends who truly care about us, the less likely we’ll be swayed by a complaining coworker, popular opinion, or our own doubtful heart. Jesus can shape and lead us through others who are close to Him.

His Wonderful Faces

His Wonderful Faces

From: Our Daily Bread

March 24, 2017

Read: 1 Chronicles 16:8–27 | Bible in a Year: Joshua 16–18; Luke 2:1–24

Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always.  1 Chronicles 16:11

My four-year-old son is full of questions, and chatters constantly. I love talking with him, but he’s developed an unfortunate habit of talking to me even when his back is turned. I often find myself saying, “I can’t hear you—please look at me when you’re talking.”

Sometimes I think God wants to say the same thing to us—not because He can’t hear us, but because we can tend to talk to Him without really “looking” at Him. We pray, but we remain caught up in our own questions and focused on ourselves, forgetting the character of the One we’re praying to. Like my son, we ask questions without paying attention to the person we’re talking to.

Seeking the face of God can strengthen our faith.

Many of our concerns are best addressed by reminding ourselves of who God is and what He has done. By simply refocusing, we find comfort in what we know of His character: that He is loving, forgiving, sovereign, graceful.

The psalmist believed we ought to seek God’s face continually (Ps. 105:4). When David appointed leaders for worship and prayer, he encouraged the people to praise God’s character and tell stories of His past faithfulness (1 Chron. 16:8–27).

When we turn our eyes toward the beautiful face of God, we can find strength and comfort that sustain us even in the midst of unanswered questions.

Lord, let the light of Your face shine upon us.

Seeking the face of God can strengthen our faith.

Everyone Has A Story

Everyone Has a Story

From: Our Daily Journey

Mar 23, 2017

Read:

Philippians 2:1-18
Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too (Philippians 2:4).

The speaker at our conference asked us to gather in groups of three with people we had never met. He told us to each take one minute to tell the others about ourselves and share the story of one person we wanted God to bless. One man said he wanted God to bless his wife who was battling cancer while she cared for her invalid mother. Another praised God for healing his wife’s cancer but said he was concerned for his adult son who was far from God.

If this had been a typical session, we would have left as we came in—as strangers. But because the speaker asked us to share something personal, we made an immediate and intense connection.

I left the session wondering what other stories are out there. Most people are struggling with something significant while also rejoicing about something else. Everyone needs prayer—either to celebrate God’s goodness or to seek God’s grace. It isn’t wise for us to walk up to strangers and demand that they open up, but we can be aware that each person has unexpressed yearnings. May we learn how to “share [these] burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2).

One way to prepare to share others’ burdens is to humbly put them first, reflecting Jesus’ humility. Rather than trying to impress others with our own stories or witty comments, may we ask questions and then really listen to what they have to say (Philippians 2:3; James 1:19). If they’re hesitant to share, may we remain “patient with everyone,” permitting each to open up at their own pace (1 Thessalonians 5:14-15).

As we actively seek to hear the stories of others, we can grow to truly love and care for them—relying on God to help us imitate His ways.

A Tongue That Could Move Dirt

From: Get More Strength.org

Mar

22

2017

“A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy man keeps a secret.” Proverbs 11:13

R. G. LeTourneau, the owner of a large earth-moving equipment company, often told this story: “We used to have a scraper known as the Model G. Somebody asked one of our salesmen what the ‘G’ stood for. The salesman promptly replied, ‘Well, I guess the G stands for gossip, because like gossip, this machine moves a lot of dirt, and moves it fast!’”

Have you ever had “the dirt” on someone? Through some turn of events, maybe you know of another person’s misfortune or mistake, and the news is burning a hole in your tongue. Is it okay to tell others? Is it okay to tell someone so that both of you can pray more intelligently about it? Or is telling it to anyone just plain old gossip?

Gossip is defined as idle chatter that can injure another’s integrity and reputation. This category of verbal sin does not always have malicious intent, but it’s always damaging. Closely linked with gossip is the idea of whispering. One of the Hebrew words for gossip means “whispering that is damaging.” In the New Testament, the Greek word for gossip is pronounced beginning with the sound “p-s-s-s,” which is often how gossip is communicated. Gossip can be true information but is always information that is not in the best interests of those who it is about or those who are hearing it.

So, why is it so tempting to look both ways, and then whisper juicy tidbits into the ear of the person next to us? Perhaps it’s because gossip is a way of promoting ourselves. Having the latest news means that we are on the inside track—that we have “the scoop.” It has been said that if a person known as a gossip doesn’t know about it, it’s not worth knowing—which isn’t a compliment! Gossip makes us the center of attention; all ears are tuned in to our frequency. Having and spreading information about others gives us a sort of power—or at least the illusion of it. In the spirit of self-promotion, gossip neutralizes our failures by making sure that others know the failures of someone else. To put it bluntly, we like to gossip because it makes us feel good. But then, a lot of sins make us feel good. Like poisoned sugar, gossip seems sweet but is deadly.

The problem with gossip is that it often backfires. Proverbs 11:13 says: “A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy man keeps a secret.” If you like to gossip, you probably have friends or acquaintances who wonder if they can trust you with confidential information. Or, you can understand why they might think: If they are telling me about that, who are they talking to about me? It’s no wonder that Proverbs tells us that a gossiper separates the best of friends (Proverbs 16:28).

We should also note with concern that gossips are listed among the defiled people who are “God-haters” (Romans 1:28-30). That’s a serious charge!

It may be true, it may be hot, and it may be interesting, but if it’s not constructive and helpful, it’s gossip. And it’s a problem! If you have to tell someone, take it to the Lord in prayer. Everyone else is out of bounds.

R.G. LeTourneau and his family are committed Christians. His many works include philanthropies to many struggling institutions and Churches. He has given us a good example of how to live a fruitful Christian life.

Identified or Simply Interested

Identified or Simply Interested?

From:Utmost.org

March 21, 2017

The inescapable spiritual need each of us has is the need to sign the death certificate of our sin nature. I must take my emotional opinions and intellectual beliefs and be willing to turn them into a moral verdict against the nature of sin; that is, against any claim I have to my right to myself. Paul said, “I have been crucified with Christ….” He did not say, “I have made a determination to imitate Jesus Christ,” or, “I will really make an effort to follow Him” —but— “I have been identified with Him in His death.” Once I reach this moral decision and act on it, all that Christ accomplished for me on the Cross is accomplished in me. My unrestrained commitment of myself to God gives the Holy Spirit the opportunity to grant to me the holiness of Jesus Christ.

“…it is no longer I who live….” My individuality remains, but my primary motivation for living and the nature that rules me are radically changed. I have the same human body, but the old satanic right to myself has been destroyed.

“…and the life which I now live in the flesh,” not the life which I long to live or even pray that I live, but the life I now live in my mortal flesh— the life which others can see, “I live by faith in the Son of God….” This faith was not Paul’s own faith in Jesus Christ, but the faith the Son God had given to him (see Ephesians 2:8). It is no longer a faith in faith, but a faith that transcends all imaginable limits— a faith that comes only from the Son of God.

Friendship With God

Friendship with God

From: Utmost.org

March 20, 2017

Shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing…? —Genesis 18:17

The Delights of His Friendship. Genesis 18 brings out the delight of true friendship with God, as compared with simply feeling His presence occasionally in prayer. This friendship means being so intimately in touch with God that you never even need to ask Him to show you His will. It is evidence of a level of intimacy which confirms that you are nearing the final stage of your discipline in the life of faith. When you have a right-standing relationship with God, you have a life of freedom, liberty, and delight; you are God’s will. And all of your commonsense decisions are actually His will for you, unless you sense a feeling of restraint brought on by a check in your spirit. You are free to make decisions in the light of a perfect and delightful friendship with God, knowing that if your decisions are wrong He will lovingly produce that sense of restraint. Once he does, you must stop immediately.

The Difficulties of His Friendship. Why did Abraham stop praying when he did? He stopped because he still was lacking the level of intimacy in his relationship with God, which would enable him boldly to continue on with the Lord in prayer until his desire was granted. Whenever we stop short of our true desire in prayer and say, “Well, I don’t know, maybe this is not God’s will,” then we still have another level to go. It shows that we are not as intimately acquainted with God as Jesus was, and as Jesus would have us to be— “…that they may be one just as We are one…” (John 17:22). Think of the last thing you prayed about— were you devoted to your desire or to God? Was your determination to get some gift of the Spirit for yourself or to get to God? “For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him” (Matthew 6:8). The reason for asking is so you may get to know God better. “Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart” (Psalm 37:4). We should keep praying to get a perfect understanding of God Himself.

Trapped In Sin

Did you know that Jesus was arrested, imprisoned, and executed not for His sin but for ours?   Through his death and resurrection we can be redeemed by faith

Trapped in Sin

From: Our Daily Journey

Mar 19, 2017

Read:

Romans 3:9-31
Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins (Romans 3:24).

A police officer rescued a deer whose head had become lodged within a discarded light globe. The officer’s first attempt to pull the plastic object off the frightened animal’s head failed, although it came free during a second try. Officials estimate that the animal had been caught with the globe on its head for at least one full day!

Similar to the deer’s helpless predicament, Paul says that we are poor, sinful, lost creatures, incapable of getting ourselves out of our own dilemma. He notes that our hearts are trapped in sin—all of us are born under sin’s power and “fall short of God’s glorious standard” (Romans 3:9,23).

In Romans 3:10-18, the apostle quotes from six Old Testament passages revealing that we’re born alienated from God, don’t naturally seek Him, have turned away from Him, and don’t have a true view of His greatness. Without God, we’re utterly helpless and can’t rescue ourselves.

But in view of humanity’s helplessness, God stepped in and provided a perfect rescue by His grace through our faith in Jesus His Son (Romans 3:24). Jesus alone provided the perfect sacrifice God required, and His death for us on the cross satisfied the demands of sin—freeing us from the grip of sin and making a restored relationship with God possible (Romans 3:25).

You and I no longer need to remain trapped in sin. God saw our hopeless condition and extended grace, love, and mercy in order to restore us to Himself. We’re rescued and “made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes” (Romans 3:21-22).

Are you trapped by your sin? Receive God’s gift of salvation today through faith in Jesus!

Will I Bring Myself Up To This Level

…perfecting holiness in the fear of God. —2 Corinthians 7:1

“Therefore, having these promises….” I claim God’s promises for my life and look to their fulfillment, and rightly so, but that shows only the human perspective on them. God’s perspective is that through His promises I will come to recognize His claim of ownership on me. For example, do I realize that my “body is the temple of the Holy Spirit,” or am I condoning some habit in my body which clearly could not withstand the light of God on it? (1 Corinthians 6:19). God formed His Son in me through sanctification, setting me apart from sin and making me holy in His sight (see Galatians 4:19). But I must begin to transform my natural life into spiritual life by obedience to Him. God instructs us even in the smallest details of life. And when He brings you conviction of sin, do not “confer with flesh and blood,” but cleanse yourself from it at once (Galatians 1:16). Keep yourself cleansed in your daily walk.

I must cleanse myself from all filthiness in my flesh and my spirit until both are in harmony with the nature of God. Is the mind of my spirit in perfect agreement with the life of the Son of God in me, or am I mentally rebellious and defiant? Am I allowing the mind of Christ to be formed in me? (see Philippians 2:5). Christ never spoke of His right to Himself, but always maintained an inner vigilance to submit His spirit continually to His Father. I also have the responsibility to keep my spirit in agreement with His Spirit. And when I do, Jesus gradually lifts me up to the level where He lived— a level of perfect submission to His Father’s will— where I pay no attention to anything else. Am I perfecting this kind of holiness in the fear of God? Is God having His way with me, and are people beginning to see God in my life more and more?

Be serious in your commitment to God and gladly leave everything else alone. Literally put God first in your life.

What Does Jesus Expect From Us?

March 17, 2017 What Does Jesus Expect from Us? LIZ CURTIS HIGGS

“Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.” John 12:3 (NIV)

Every year I count on a special gift from my husband: a small, 1-ounce bottle of my favorite perfume. If I limit myself to a few careful squirts a day, I can make that beautiful scent last the entire year.

The last thing I would do with something so precious is pour it onto a man’s feet (yes, even the feet of a man I love). But that’s exactly what Mary of Bethany did.

Just six days before the Lord’s crucifixion, Mary of Bethany broke her alabaster jar of perfume and released every drop, saving nothing for herself. Ounce after ounce drenched Jesus’ skin, soaked the hem of His garment and pooled on the floor around His heels. With the fragrant perfume running through her fingers, Mary anointed and massaged His feet right there in front of God and everybody.

Friend, it was scandalous. And glorious.

Was this aromatic substance cool to the touch or warm? Sticky or silky? Only Jesus and Mary knew how it felt. But everyone knew what it meant. I love You, I honor You, I worship and adore You.

And she wasn’t finished. Following the same path as her perfume, her dark hair spilled across His feet, as Mary of Bethany “wiped his feet with her hair” (John 12:3a). The original Greek simply reads “the hair of her with the feet of him.” Yes, that’s it. Her hair. His feet.

Since a woman’s hair, then and now, is closely tied to her sense of self-worth, Mary was quietly letting go of self — her longing to be looked up to, her desire to be attractive, her need to be liked.

This devout follower, this beloved sister, used her long hair to dry a man’s feet, the lowest job for the lowliest servant. She laid her whole being before Him: her pride, her reputation, her social standing, her clean hands, her pure heart.

“And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume” (John 12:3b). In fact, the scent carried right out the door, since the aroma of spikenard oil could travel half a mile away. Their neighbors in Bethany no doubt lifted their heads and sniffed the evening air.

Today we marvel at Mary’s story and stand in awe of her sacrifice, but we’re also left wondering how we could ever hope to duplicate it. Her perfume was “worth a year’s wages” (John 12:5b, NIV) — about $30,000 in today’s currency. Is that what the Lord expects us to do? Give up everything we have?

Yes. But don’t panic.

Everything we have comes from God — our possessions, our bodies, our talents, our spiritual gifts, our everything. So, He will provide what He intends us to sacrifice, and He will give us the strength and courage to let go. That’s how amazing our God is. He is “… able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work” (2 Corinthians 9:8, NIV).

What does Jesus expect from us? Only what He’s already given us.

Lord, we long to be as generous as Mary of Bethany, pouring out our lives for Your glory. Help us trust You to provide what’s needed, certain You will fill our hands and hearts with every good thing, so we may give them back to You with joy. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

TRUTH FOR TODAY:
Romans 12:1, “So I beg you, brothers and sisters, because of the great mercy God has shown us, offer your lives as a living sacrifice to him — an offering that is only for God and pleasing to him. Considering what he has done, it is only right that you should worship him in this way.” (ERV)