Monday, April 6, 2009

Tuesday Tips & Easter Week Reflections

Happy Tuesday! It was a cold day yesterday here in north central Kentucky, a far cry from the sixty-plus degree temperatures we enjoyed this past weekend. There was a freeze warning for last night and possibly tonight. My peonies, daylilies and azaleas are all bursting forth, and I would certainly hate to see them burned (odd choice of words for freezing) or lose any potential blooms.

Today's Tip

When trying to protect plants from freezing, always use a cover made from a material that breathes. Never use plastic. Plastic will encourage freezing. I used old sheets to cover my blooming plants. Because it's windy, I anchored them down with spare bricks. I am hopeful the plants will not succumb to the frosty weather.

Easter Week Reflections- Tuesday


I've already missed Sunday and Monday, on which days Jesus entered into Jerusalem, cursed the fig tree and cleansed the temple of the money changers. We'll just pick up with Tuesday.

On Tuesday, Jesus' authority was questioned by the chief priests and elders. (So what's new?) Thereafter, he taught in the temple using several parables. Also on this day, Jesus was anointed at Bethany. This event is discussed in Matthew 26:6-13, Mark 14:3-9 and in John 12:2-11. John's account is my favorite.

Jesus was in Bethany at the home of Simon the Leper. Simon likely had been healed by Jesus, and he was hosting a dinner wherein Jesus was the guest of honor. Since this was taking place in Bethany, Jesus' good friends, Lazarus, Martha and Mary were in attendance. Specifically, Lazarus was eating, and Martha was bustling about making sure everyone was fed.

But where was Mary? Mary again appears at the feet of Jesus. (Remember the story in Luke 10:38-42?) This time, however, instead of soaking up his words of life, she pours perfume on his feet. Expensive perfume. Precious perfume. Perfume so valuable that it was kept in an alabaster, or marble, jar.

Then she wipes his feet with her hair. In those days it wasn't customary for women to let down their hair in public. It also wasn't customary for anyone other than servants to attend to the feet of guests.

But there's Mary, tossing aside all social mores of the day. She just wanted to worship and love her master. What did it cost? She sacrificed several things that day -- money, possessions, pride, customs -- all for the privilege of serving her Lord. And He blessed her for doing so. He said her act of love was "beautiful."

Something else caught my attention, though. In verse 3 of John 12, it says, "And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume." Our sacrificial worship of Jesus releases a sweet fragrance to Him. Remember the offerings God commanded in Exodus? He referred to them as "pleasing aromas."

What about me? What precious things do I have to pour on the feet of Jesus? My time? My praise? Will it appear silly to others? Will I take my hurts and fears and pour them out at His feet? Will I set aside my pride and just do it? Will He find it beautiful? Will He find it aromatic? Will He find it pleasing?

I want my adoration of Jesus to be all these things. How about you?

Daily Bible Reading - April 7

Joshua 13-14; Psalm 77; Mark 2:13-17; I Corinthians 5

Have a great day!

2 comments:

  1. Such an awesome discussion! Actually, I have struggled for years with this. I am a Martha and want to be a Mary. It's hard. Most women would say the same thing. When I sit down in the morning with my Bible I don't want to be distracted by the mess around me, so I say, "Lord, just let me tidy this up first." Then, "Oh, if I put one load in the washer I'll be that much ahead." On and on I could go (and have done before) all morning until I realize the precious first fruits of (my time) the day are gone and I didn't offer them to God. This is the whole Martha/Mary syndrome! So....I've set up a chair in the corner of my bedroom facing the window (so I cannot see my husband's dirty laundry on the floor) with a shelf full of my Bibles, study books, etc. I have a candle and decorations so that I can spend time with the Lord undistracted. This has helped me a lot. Getting there can be hard too, but I keep remembering that Jesus said Mary chose what was better. Let me be Mary.

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  2. This is an area where I have struggled for a long time. It even keeps me from successfully practicing hospitality. We (the Lord and I) are working on that, though! Thanks for reading!

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