YOUR WORSHIP MATTERS
By: Elle Buell
While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head. Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, “Why this waste of perfume? It could have been sold for more than a year’s wages and the money given to the poor.” And they rebuked her harshly. “Leave her alone,” said Jesus. “Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me. She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial. Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”
Mark 14: 3-9 NIV
Historians say that the oil this woman poured on Christ was extremely fragrant. We know that the culture Christ lived in didn’t have the luxury of easy access to showers or baths. Knowing that, there’s a very good chance that after this woman poured her oil on Jesus, He didn’t have a bath before He was arrested and crucified.
I imagine that as Christ was sitting in His jail cell, beaten and bloody, the other prisoners in the jail could smell traces of that oil on Him. I imagine that as He walked the streets, struggling to carry His cross, hecklers along the roadside caught the smell of this oil still matted in His hair. As He hung on the cross, dying for our sins, and the Roman soldiers cast lots for His clothes, I imagine that they could smell this woman’s worship still lingering on His garments. I imagine that the soldier who won His cloak in this gamble brought that garment into his home, and his wife and family could instantly smell the beautiful fragrance of this woman’s worship on the clothes. Think of all the people who weren’t part of the crucifixion but were affected by this fragrant oil lingering on Jesus.
Your worship matters. It reaches far beyond the moment that you surrender and glorify our King during Sunday morning service. Worship is a lifestyle. Your worship lingers and affects those around you at work, in your home, at the baseball game, at the gym, in your bedroom, at the mall, at the dance studio, restaurant, doctor’s office, or grocery store. As you go about your day today, let the fragrance of your worship overflow to those around you.
While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head. Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, “Why this waste of perfume? It could have been sold for more than a year’s wages and the money given to the poor.” And they rebuked her harshly. “Leave her alone,” said Jesus. “Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me. She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial. Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”
Mark 14: 3-9 NIV
Historians say that the oil this woman poured on Christ was extremely fragrant. We know that the culture Christ lived in didn’t have the luxury of easy access to showers or baths. Knowing that, there’s a very good chance that after this woman poured her oil on Jesus, He didn’t have a bath before He was arrested and crucified.
I imagine that as Christ was sitting in His jail cell, beaten and bloody, the other prisoners in the jail could smell traces of that oil on Him. I imagine that as He walked the streets, struggling to carry His cross, hecklers along the roadside caught the smell of this oil still matted in His hair. As He hung on the cross, dying for our sins, and the Roman soldiers cast lots for His clothes, I imagine that they could smell this woman’s worship still lingering on His garments. I imagine that the soldier who won His cloak in this gamble brought that garment into his home, and his wife and family could instantly smell the beautiful fragrance of this woman’s worship on the clothes. Think of all the people who weren’t part of the crucifixion but were affected by this fragrant oil lingering on Jesus.
Your worship matters. It reaches far beyond the moment that you surrender and glorify our King during Sunday morning service. Worship is a lifestyle. Your worship lingers and affects those around you at work, in your home, at the baseball game, at the gym, in your bedroom, at the mall, at the dance studio, restaurant, doctor’s office, or grocery store. As you go about your day today, let the fragrance of your worship overflow to those around you.