Matthew 26 -I have been thinking of the woman who poured the expensive alabaster oil on Jesus head, anointing him, with the attitude of giving her best to Jesus - to minister to him - just for his own sake. Love, generosity poured on Jesus.
The disciples saw her act differently than Jesus did. They saw it as a waste. This expensive perfume could have been used as a commodity and traded for usefulness in the ministry to the poor... the ministry to Jesus is not as valued as the ministry in the name of Jesus and for Jesus.
I am wondering if I am wasting my life, my wealth, my gifts and that which is costly on Jesus? Am I doing that to simply bless him and to pour my love on him? Do I consider the suffering that goes on in Jesus' heart, the continuous rejection of his people and the world, as he is replaced by other loves and lovers in our days.
I need to re-think Jesus and what I am offering him, how I view the world and how I live my life everyday!
I need to re-think my view of life... do I see the world as a dangerous place and live from fear, attempting to control situations and outcomes by trying to be “holy”, “righteous”, doing all the right things so I can control what God does for me, somehow live life believing I have earned the blessings from God through my efforts and purity of life?
I need to re-think how wise, experienced I am and how busy I am. A few years ago I went through a major wake up call in my life and ministry.: I had become a “professional missionary”. I had everything I needed to perform and teach and lead... except I was dry and my faith was old. God was in the margins of my life. Not aware of Him all the time and not needing to commune with him because I had learned his ways. This is called Christian atheism.
I need to re-think my service for Jesus and how that needs to become my service with Jesus. Do I believe my worth before God and others is because of my Mission on earth? Doing great acts of compassion, service, spiritual activities, in the church and ministry.
The story of the woman and the Alabaster offering made me ask the question of value...which is more valuable? to give what costs me to Jesus , to minister to Him or to sell/ use what I have to give to the poor and do stuff for Jesus? He was deeply ministered by this woman’s offer and said whenever this gospel is preached in the whole world what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her...Do I understand what this mean???
I need to re-think my expectations of Jesus and what he can give me...I live in a world of consumerism and very little self control. Everything and everyone exist to satisfy me and make me happy and with that in mind our relationships, marriages, families, etc...have been deeply affected by the short-term and limited fulfilling functions... Jesus invited us to follow Him and that meant we would face persecution, lack provision, not have a place to lay down our heads, etc. Today if I do not have prosperity and the best of the best, it means I am not living a life that please God. Oh, how lost I am!
Do I do what I do because I am afraid of Him and afraid I will not make it to heaven? Do I do all these “spiritual” things so I will not suffer in this world, earn the protection and blessings of God and somehow live differently than the rest of the world, immune to suffering and difficulties in life?
Do I do what I do relying on what I have already learned, living by principles and what I learned from the Scriptures? Can I live my life as a "good christian" and not need the daily communion with Jesus any more because somehow I can manage life and ministry on my own? I learned how to be good and do good deeds....
Do i do what I do because I want Jesus to give me what I need? to bless me? to meet all my needs and desires?
Do I do what I do because I want to please Jesus and give him all my service? ... by doing and serving him I can earn something back from him and my life can have worth?
OR...
Do I do what I do because I want to know him and be with him and live my life in continual communion with Jesus, who is the source of my life and the lover of my soul and know that He is for me and apart from him there is no meaning of life?
The disciples saw her act differently than Jesus did. They saw it as a waste. This expensive perfume could have been used as a commodity and traded for usefulness in the ministry to the poor... the ministry to Jesus is not as valued as the ministry in the name of Jesus and for Jesus.
I am wondering if I am wasting my life, my wealth, my gifts and that which is costly on Jesus? Am I doing that to simply bless him and to pour my love on him? Do I consider the suffering that goes on in Jesus' heart, the continuous rejection of his people and the world, as he is replaced by other loves and lovers in our days.
I need to re-think Jesus and what I am offering him, how I view the world and how I live my life everyday!
I need to re-think my view of life... do I see the world as a dangerous place and live from fear, attempting to control situations and outcomes by trying to be “holy”, “righteous”, doing all the right things so I can control what God does for me, somehow live life believing I have earned the blessings from God through my efforts and purity of life?
I need to re-think how wise, experienced I am and how busy I am. A few years ago I went through a major wake up call in my life and ministry.: I had become a “professional missionary”. I had everything I needed to perform and teach and lead... except I was dry and my faith was old. God was in the margins of my life. Not aware of Him all the time and not needing to commune with him because I had learned his ways. This is called Christian atheism.
I need to re-think my service for Jesus and how that needs to become my service with Jesus. Do I believe my worth before God and others is because of my Mission on earth? Doing great acts of compassion, service, spiritual activities, in the church and ministry.
The story of the woman and the Alabaster offering made me ask the question of value...which is more valuable? to give what costs me to Jesus , to minister to Him or to sell/ use what I have to give to the poor and do stuff for Jesus? He was deeply ministered by this woman’s offer and said whenever this gospel is preached in the whole world what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her...Do I understand what this mean???
I need to re-think my expectations of Jesus and what he can give me...I live in a world of consumerism and very little self control. Everything and everyone exist to satisfy me and make me happy and with that in mind our relationships, marriages, families, etc...have been deeply affected by the short-term and limited fulfilling functions... Jesus invited us to follow Him and that meant we would face persecution, lack provision, not have a place to lay down our heads, etc. Today if I do not have prosperity and the best of the best, it means I am not living a life that please God. Oh, how lost I am!
Do I do what I do because I am afraid of Him and afraid I will not make it to heaven? Do I do all these “spiritual” things so I will not suffer in this world, earn the protection and blessings of God and somehow live differently than the rest of the world, immune to suffering and difficulties in life?
Do I do what I do relying on what I have already learned, living by principles and what I learned from the Scriptures? Can I live my life as a "good christian" and not need the daily communion with Jesus any more because somehow I can manage life and ministry on my own? I learned how to be good and do good deeds....
Do i do what I do because I want Jesus to give me what I need? to bless me? to meet all my needs and desires?
Do I do what I do because I want to please Jesus and give him all my service? ... by doing and serving him I can earn something back from him and my life can have worth?
OR...
Do I do what I do because I want to know him and be with him and live my life in continual communion with Jesus, who is the source of my life and the lover of my soul and know that He is for me and apart from him there is no meaning of life?