I love the story of when Jesus was eating dinner in Bethany (Matt. 26:6-13) and Mary came to see Him. She carried with her a valuable alabaster flask of perfume which some have estimated to be worth a man's wages for a year. She broke the flask and poured it on the head of Jesus as an act of worship. True worship must cost the worshipper something. It will come with the cost of time, money, the sacrifice of other things, and obedience. Worship is not the singing of songs - though we can worship through songs - but worship of God is acts of adoration by faith for God's glory. Mary's gift was accepted by Jesus, and He said her act would be spoken of wherever the Gospel is preached.
It is not necessary for Christians to burn money or pour out expensive fragrances for our prayers and praises to be accepted by God. He is not like the idols formed by man's hands which demand much but give nothing. God has freely provided for us all, and our worship is to be a response to His great goodness and love. God is seeking people to worship Him in Spirit and in truth, and as we follow the promptings of the Spirit we will deny ourselves, take up our cross daily, and follow Jesus. God looks for people who believe His Word and will trust Him enough to praise Him in the midst of pain and trials. It is sweet to praise and thank God when all is well, but it requires faith to praise and thank God from the heart when all seems unwell. This sacrifice of praise is well-pleasing in the sight of God. Genuine praise from the depths of pain is a sweet savour before our Saviour.
Our prayers can be a sacrifice of praise we must persevere in. Jesus told a parable to the end that men ought always to pray and not to faint. He spoke of a widow who continually pleaded her case before an unjust judge. Sick of the woman badgering him, the corrupt judge who did not fear God decided to act in the woman's favour to spare himself her entreaties. Jesus said in Luke 18:6-8, "Then the Lord said, "Hear what the unjust judge said. 7 And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? 8 I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?" God is longsuffering, and love enables us also to suffer long. There is much singing in churches and many prayers uttered. But does God find them prompted by faith in Him? Even in the midst of our suffering we can demonstrate faith in worship and prayer, a commodity more rare and valuable in God's sight than the precious oil poured by Mary upon Jesus. That is what Jesus commended in Mary: it was not the monetary value of her sacrifice, but her heart willing to freely give all for Christ's sake. That is the heart He is looking for.
It is not necessary for Christians to burn money or pour out expensive fragrances for our prayers and praises to be accepted by God. He is not like the idols formed by man's hands which demand much but give nothing. God has freely provided for us all, and our worship is to be a response to His great goodness and love. God is seeking people to worship Him in Spirit and in truth, and as we follow the promptings of the Spirit we will deny ourselves, take up our cross daily, and follow Jesus. God looks for people who believe His Word and will trust Him enough to praise Him in the midst of pain and trials. It is sweet to praise and thank God when all is well, but it requires faith to praise and thank God from the heart when all seems unwell. This sacrifice of praise is well-pleasing in the sight of God. Genuine praise from the depths of pain is a sweet savour before our Saviour.
Our prayers can be a sacrifice of praise we must persevere in. Jesus told a parable to the end that men ought always to pray and not to faint. He spoke of a widow who continually pleaded her case before an unjust judge. Sick of the woman badgering him, the corrupt judge who did not fear God decided to act in the woman's favour to spare himself her entreaties. Jesus said in Luke 18:6-8, "Then the Lord said, "Hear what the unjust judge said. 7 And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? 8 I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?" God is longsuffering, and love enables us also to suffer long. There is much singing in churches and many prayers uttered. But does God find them prompted by faith in Him? Even in the midst of our suffering we can demonstrate faith in worship and prayer, a commodity more rare and valuable in God's sight than the precious oil poured by Mary upon Jesus. That is what Jesus commended in Mary: it was not the monetary value of her sacrifice, but her heart willing to freely give all for Christ's sake. That is the heart He is looking for.
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