An Alabaster Anointing

Bible Reading Today: Mark 11, John 12

John 12:3 Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment.

We recently talked about Lazarus in a previous post, referencing a need to be released from both his grave and graveclothes. Jesus miraculously raised him from the dead, and both these releases took place! And in reading the above Scripture, I thought of something interesting...both Lazarus' resurrection and this anointing & washing of Jesus' feet were all foreshadowing the death, burial & Resurrection of Jesus...think about it...this precious anointing oil that Mary used was very expensive. Judas ridiculed her for pouring it out and "wasting it" washing Jesus' feet...but Jesus said that Mary had kept it for Jesus' burying. Mary could have been saving this for Lazarus first...but she didn't need it for him anymore since Jesus raised him from the dead! Mary saw the power Jesus had over death. Death didn't matter to her anymore! Yes, she poured it out upon Jesus in preparation for His burial, but she knew that the power of Jesus extended beyond the grave. Jesus deserved that anointing, even if He was not yet buried at the time. Mary's love for Jesus was great, and she was willing to give her best to Him. This alabaster box of ointment, meant for burial, was a true anointing. Anointing is found in a death to ourselves, and a willingness to obey God and give our all to Him. True anointing from above doesn't come from fighting our way to the top, being the best, and taking too much pride in what we do...true anointing from The Lord comes from sitting at His feet, pouring ourselves out, and dying to pride. Others may ridicule it as a waste of time...but God sees it differently! An alabaster anointing brings an Almighty Appointing from God to do greater things in His Kingdom...in Jesus' Name!