A fragrant offering
Amanda MacQuarrie
April 12, 2025
Add to Favourites
Listen to this daily worship
John 12: 1-8 (NIV)
1 Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 2 Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. 3 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.
4 But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, 5 “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.” 6 He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.
7 “Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. “It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. 8 You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.”
What’s the most expensive thing you own?
The thing that cost the most,
Or the most valuable…
Imagine offering it to God…
That’s what Mary did,
Mary, whose brother had just been restored to life,
Who had earlier fallen at Jesus’ feet…
In a barren desert of grief,
Angry and in tears,
Full of what might have beens...
Scolding Jesus for not coming sooner…
Berating him, for not being there to save her Lazarus…
And now,
Mary…
Overflowing,
In her well watered garden,
Her weeping turned to dancing,
Her sorrow to joy
She takes her most valuable possession,
A bottle of nard…
Pure nard.
And pours it out,
All of it…
A ridiculously extravagant gesture…
On Jesus’ feet…
Mopping up the excess that seeks to escape with her hair…
Any lingering stench of death gone… only the rich perfume filling the air…
I wonder how long that scent lingered on…
If it filled Jesus’ senses…
Carrying him on into what followed…
An anointing…
A reminder of who he was, and what he’d come to do.
He had been good news to the poor,
He had brought sight to the blind,
The lame had not only danced but leapt for joy,
And he had raised the dead to life.
There’s only one more step left to take on the journey,
Jerusalem…
As you linger a while today,
As you consider the journey ahead…
Ponder what Jesus has done for you.
Where has Jesus led you from a desert to a well watered garden,
Where have you seen sorrow turn to joy, and tears turn to dancing…?
Where have you been brought from death to life?
Give thanks in whatever way feels right for you and cover Jesus’ feet with your own precious offering…
Prayer:
Life giver,
Joy bringer,
Tear wiper,
Thank you for the wonder of the gifts you have given me.
As I breathe out,
Take my offering,
As I breathe in may I know your peace.
Amen.
Login to comment.