TRUE WORSHIP

And being in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, as He sat at the table, a woman came having an alabaster flask of very costly oil of spikenard. Then she broke the flask and poured it on His head. Mark 14:3

Although the gospel of Mark does not tell us the name of the woman in our text, the gospel of John identifies her as Mary, the sister of Lazarus.

Her gesture of worship is unique in three ways.

• Her worship was planned. She left her home having come with a box of costly ointment.

This indicates that regardless of feelings, people that were at the house, food that was on the menu, or any other circumstances, she had come to Simon's house with one intention...to worship Jesus. Her praise was planned.

• Her worship was original. To our knowledge, nobody had ever praised the Saviour in this manner. It was not something that she learned ahead of time; it was an expression of the love in her heart for her Master.

Without a manual to tell her how, she built praise for Christ that He said would last forever.

• Her worship was without reservation. It is possible that as she made the trip to Simon's house, she pondered how much of the costly perfume she would use.

Should she pour out everything or reserve some for herself? When the moment came, she held nothing back from her Lord.

Mark's gospel says that she "broke the box." Her praise was lavish. Her gift was extravagant. Her devotion to the Lord was given with no thought of the cost involved.

She brought a lavish and extravagant worship to the Lord, and He in return established her act as an eternal monument of worship.

Prayer: With all of my heart, soul and strength, I offer my worship to You, O Lord.

Scriptural Reading: Mark 14:3-9