A Beautiful Thing

 

During this Holy Week many of us read, study and ponder the steps Jesus took to the ultimate sacrifice. His painful giving of Himself for us all.

In my devotional reading this morning, I was reminded of the woman who poured expensive, costly perfume over the Lord:

Now when Jesus was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, a woman came up to him with an alabaster flask of very expensive ointment, and she poured it on his head as he reclined at table. And when the disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, “Why this waste? For this could have been sold for a large sum and given to the poor.” But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a beautiful thing to me. For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me. In pouring this ointment on my body, she has done it to prepare me for burial. Truly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her.”   Matthew 26:6-13 (ESVUK)

And the question presented for reflection was this -

What one thing might I do for Jesus this Easter which would be deeply costly and personally sacrificial?

Deeply? Costly? Personal?

I was at a loss. I thought of things I enjoy doing. I thought of things I am comfortable doing. But something deeply costly? Perhaps even painfully uncomfortable- for the sake of another? For Jesus?

Oh, I thought of giving up social media, or spending more time in prayer but they just didn’t sound deeply costly.

So I sat with this question awhile longer. And scripture verses started wandering into my thoughts until one settled in.

He must become greater, I must become less. (John 3:30)

And so it dawned on me that my personal, costly sacrifice could only be…

an empty alabaster jar.

My sacrificial gift to Jesus is an emptiness of self. Fill me and pour me out, Lord, again and again as You see fit.

I empty myself of my desire to do my own thing and make room for Him to do His Own Thing. Without preemptive tweaking or excuses.

Call it sacrificial obedience. Call it sacrificial love - for Jesus.

May it be a beautiful thing. And may it be Your fragrance, Lord, that fills the room…