Don't Stop Worshiping

Now the Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread were only two days away, and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were scheming to arrest Jesus secretly and kill him. “But not during the festival,” they said, “or the people may riot.” 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 14:1-9 (New International Version, NIV)

Jesus was dining in a leper’s house when a woman came in and anointed Jesus with expensive perfume, pouring it on His head. Some were indignant, and they criticized this woman and her act of worship. She has poured out more than a year’s wages worth of perfume on Jesus. Others saw it as a waste, but to Jesus it was an extravagant and beautiful act of worship.

Our love and worship to Jesus- is it expensive? Will it cost us something? What price are we willing to pay to honor the Lord? The religious leaders rebuked her worship. The devil and religion (they are often partners together) will always try to stop our worship. Jesus stepped in and defended her, even honored her. We are none of the devil’s business and none of the religious bunch’s business. We belong to God. We are His business and no one else’s. He will defend our heartfelt worship.

Jesus said, “She has done a beautiful thing to me.” What we do to and for Jesus as an act of love is considered by Him to be beautiful. She did this to anoint and prepare Jesus for what He was about to go through and for His burial. The aroma of that perfume was probably still lingering on Him as He endured the scourging, the abuse, and crucifixion. As he suffered for us, He could smell traces of it and it would remind Him that He was loved.

This woman’s worship was so special that Jesus honored her by making her a part of the Gospel story for all eternity. As a memorial to her, her worship has been included in the pages of Holy Scripture. As we worship Jesus from our hearts and honor Him, He will honor us. He will remember our worship and will proclaim our story to the Father and to all of Heaven. Regardless of the persecution you get for worshiping Jesus, don’t stop doing it because Jesus receives and remembers it all.