What Is in Your Alabaster Jar?

 

 

Lina Johnson – Prayer Center Coach, cbn ministries

Once there was a woman whose sins were many, yet her love for Jesus outweighed them all. We read her story in Luke 7:36-50. She heard Jesus was there and nothing else mattered. She paid no attention to the Pharisees. She went straight to Jesus and, without a word, began to worship Him. She poured out her love for Him as she poured the contents of her alabaster jar over His feet. That perfume was her worship. That perfume was her love. That perfume, mixing with her tears, blessed Jesus as she wept and washed His feet, drying them with her hair.

Yesterday, someone who called the Prayer Center asked me, “What would you do if you looked up and Jesus was standing there in the flesh?”

I could not answer. The very thought took my breath away. “I honestly do not know,” was all I could say. Yet this woman in Luke 7 did not even hesitate. She went straight to Jesus and fell at His feet. Would I be so bold and yet so humble? Would I be able to ignore the crowd? Would I be willing to give Him my expensive perfume? When I worship, do I give Him my best?

Jesus has forgiven me of so much. Have I forgotten? Have I allowed my love to grow cold? There was a time I worshiped God with everything in me. Can I say I do the same today?

Jesus, speaking to the church in Ephesus in Revelation 2:4-5, admonishes them to return to their first love.

“But I have this complaint against you. You don’t love me or each other as you did at first! Look how far you have fallen! Turn back to me and do the works you did at first. If you don’t repent, I will come and remove your lampstand from its place among the churches.” (NLT)

If her alabaster jar was full of love and worship, what is in mine? Is it empty? It is time to reevaluate. Where am I with the Lord? Where are you? Have the cares of this world and the business of life caused us to forget our first love?

Luke 7:41-43 says,

Then Jesus told him this story: “A man loaned money to two people—500 pieces of silver to one and 50 pieces to the other. But neither of them could repay him, so he kindly forgave them both, canceling their debts. Who do you suppose loved him more after that?”

Simon answered, “I suppose the one for whom he canceled the larger debt.”

“That’s right,” Jesus said.

Let us all take a moment and remember the debt that has been canceled for us and let’s worship the Lord with our whole hearts!