The Heart of Worship  

John 12:1-8  

[1] Six days before the Passover, Jesus therefore came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. [2] So they gave a dinner for him there. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those reclining with him at table. [3] Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. [4] But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was about to betray him), said, [5] "Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?" [6] He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, and having charge of the moneybag he used to help himself to what was put into it. [7] Jesus said, "Leave her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of my burial. [8] For the poor you always have with you, but you do not always have me." (ESV)  

Jesus came often to Bethany. He came often because it was a place where he found rest and retreat. Some of his closet friends lived in this town. Mary, Martha and Lazarus had become very near and dear to the Master.

Martha often served Jesus and those who would travel with him. Lazarus was a trusted friend whom Jesus had recently raised from the dead to bring glory to the Father. Mary seemed to always be found at the feet of Jesus intently hanging on every word he spoke. Jesus had said on one occasion that Mary had chosen that "needful thing."

What a statement for the Savior to make about an individual. Would that you and I would spend much time at the feet of the Lord that he would feel compelled to say of each of us that we have chosen the needful thing: to sit and listen with open and surrendered hearts.

Yet, with all that was obviously present in Mary's heart for the Lord, nothing reveals the depth of her passion and love for Jesus more than what John shares with us in this passage. She takes one of her most valuable possessions, precious ointment (some translators state that this could have been a year's wages), and she pours it on his feet.

Mary worships. She is bent low and pouring out what she has on the Lord. May we find ourselves bending low in awe, brokenness and humility pouring out the most extravagant worship that we can upon the Lord.

Not only does Mary pour out what is precious, but she then in complete humility wipes dry the feet of Jesus with her hair. Dirty, dusty and weary feet. Feet that will soon walk under the weight of the cross, feet that will soon be pierced with nails forged by a Roman blacksmith.

Feet that have walked on water is now being anointed in worship by a heart that has no other agenda and no other desire than to give all that she has to the one she understands to be the Resurrection and the life.

Mary is worshipping and preparing Jesus for burial. At this moment, Mary probably does not understand that these feet which will be pierced for her redemption, will also walk in the fullness of victory. He will soon be a resurrected Savior.

The fragrance of her worship this day will fill all the house, but not just the house that she is sitting in with family and friends as she anoints Jesus. No, this fragrance will be there in the garden, during the flogging, at the cross, in the tomb and in the throne. Worship ascending to give God through Jesus the highest praise and glory.

May our lives become a constant expression of such worship. Extravagant, costly and freely given!!!