Extravagant Worship

Matthew 26:7

While he was eating, a woman came in with a beautiful alabaster jar of expensive perfume and poured it over his head.

Apparently these jars or boxes were given to young women by their parents to be a part of their dowery, the equivalent of our hope chests. This very expensive gift was intended for her to use on her wedding night as part of her intimacy with her husband. One source I read even suggested that prostitutes would anoint men at banquets in this way to show their availability. I highly doubt that they would have used such an expensive perfume or jar for this purpose. 

In any case, this was an extravagant act of worship. She was giving herself completely to Jesus - telling him that she trusted him with her future, her reputation and her life. She was totally unconcerned with what others thought, but was focused only on Jesus.

Lord, help me to worship you like this! With such complete abandon and focus on you. Help my daily life to reflect this kind of devotion to you, just as you demonstrated your love and devotion for me by dying for my sins. You also lavish your grace and mercy on me every day. I praise you, Lord Jesus!

This Week's Memory Verses

Jeremiah 17:5

This is what the LORD says: "Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans, who rely on human strength and turn their hearts from the LORD."

Hosea 6:6

Romans 1:16 (NIV)

I am not ashamed of the Gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.

Romans 1:16 (NIV)