When Jesus had finished saying all these things, he said to his disciples,"You know that after two days the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified." Then the chief priests and the elders of the people gathered in the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas, and they conspired to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him. But they said, "Not during the festival, or there may be a riot among the people." Now while Jesus was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very costly ointment, and she poured it on his head as he sat at the table. But when the disciples saw it, they were angry and said, "Why this waste? For this ointment could have been sold for a large sum, and the money given to the poor." But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, "Why do you trouble the woman? She has performed a good service for me. For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me. By pouring this ointment on my body she has prepared me for burial.(Matthew 26:1-12, NRS)
My schedule and routine are messed up after being sick. It has caused me to pause and realize that I need to be more intentional . . . again . . . apparently I am a slow learner. That said, the best way to be intentional is to imitate Christ. So . . . how are we to imitate what Christ did in the days leading up to resurrection?
Study today's scripture:
Christ tells the plan: "The Passover is coming and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified."
The chief priests and the elders of the people held a meeting: "They conspired to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him."
Jesus goes to the house of Simon the leper:
"A woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very costly ointment, and she poured it on his head as he sat at the table."
The disciples respond to the woman: "They were angry and said, "Why this waste?"
Jesus responds to the disciples: "By pouring this ointment on my body she has prepared me for burial."
The intentionality of Christ is remarkable. The details that mattered revolved around the big picture, which was to bring humanity into relationship with God. Christ knew the bigger picture required suffering, yet, He proceeded with the plan.
Christ, God with us, identified with humanity. Thus, moving forward is remarkable considering the overpowering stress that would occur from the weight of knowing about imminent agony and suffering.
Christ allowed a woman to anoint him with expensive oil, which was highly unusual. Even so, Christ intentionally used her actions as a way to teach the disciples. The disciples had experienced Christ's love for the poor and believed the woman wasted the costly ointment, thought to be spikenard, an expensive oil . . . about a years worth of wages . . . imported from India.
What is the lesson?
Christ followers intentionally count the cost of following Christ . . . there is a cost to being fully devoted . . . devotion to Christ may seem like a waste to some. Christ made the point that we are called to intentionally give of ourselves, being aware of the cost.
Intentionally follow Christ. . . as a fully devoted follower.
Seek the view of the bigger picture.
Live with purposeful intention . . . proceed with the plan as defined by the bigger picture.
Pay attention to the details that paint the bigger picture.
Learning with you to intentionally follow Christ,
Shalom,
Kerrie
(All devotions written by Kerrie Palmer ©2008 All Rights Reserved)
