Thursday 5 Mar 2020

March 5: Mark 14:1-9

Key Verse: Mark 14:5
It could have been sold for more than a year’s wages and the money given to the poor.” And they rebuked her harshly.

Devotion:
Can you name a big step you have made in your life for Christ? Can you pinpoint a single act which others have questioned? I can name a few cases where people around me have questioned what I am doing because they have looked at the worldly cost of my act rather than what it is doing for God – and some of those were Christians! We all look at the acts we do as very different from each other. Each year there is now a campaign run during lent called 40Acts where people are challenged to do an act of generosity each day for 40 days.

Jesus supported anyone who was willing to carry out an act of generosity in God’s name; anyone who was willing to promote God through an act which may well seem counter intuitive by the rest of the world! In this case when a woman came forward with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume and committed to use the jar on Jesus despite the physical cost of the perfume. Jesus supported her and her act. He did not focus on the worldly cost of the perfume but on the heart-felt meaning of the act.

We need to follow Jesus’ example and look for the spiritual and heart-felt meanings behind what people do rather than focusing on the worldly view of said tasks. Too often we do look at the physical cost rather than what it means to God and to giving God the glory. Jesus knew what lay ahead of Him and He was willing to accept this act as a very special act toward Him.

If we are able to put aside our earthly views and focus on what things mean to God, we will not only go further with what we do but we will promoted the gospel more than we can imagine. Our selfless acts are seen by worldly people as acts which go above and beyond what is reasonable or common sense. These acts will stick in their minds and allow God to break through to their hearts when the time is right!

Points to Ponder:
Do you put a cost on everything you do?

How much are you willing to do for God?