Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem is in the near future for us in this time of Lent. The palm branches will soon be placed in our hands as a remembrance. Holy Week looms on the horizon and those in-between days, those days between Palm Sunday and Easter morning, become dark and colorless for us in our walk with Jesus into the garden and to the cross. We have been preparing for a time such as this all along as we have been on our own journey during these weeks of Lent. We have been in prayer and have come before God with repentant hearts. There has been reflection and healing. And just as we are about to be plunged into the hectic and dark days that will ultimately lead to the glorious morning of resurrection, Jesus asks us to stop outside of the city gates with him. He wants to spend a bit more time with each of us, apart from the crowds. It is in this time of fellowship with him, before the palms are waved or we journey on toward Golgotha, when our hearts are exposed. Will we pour out extravagant love and worship at our Lord’s feet? Are we filled with a love for Jesus to the point of overflowing? Do we recognize what Jesus is doing and are we willing to go the distance with him? This is the time to think about these things. Where are our hearts?
Outside the walls of Lazarus’ house, rumblings of fear and hatred could be heard as thunder in the distance. Inside the home, clueless disciples and friends gathered with Jesus to enjoy each other’s company. Suddenly “the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.” There she was. Mary in worship. Pouring her most costly possession on the feet of her Lord. Anointing his feet with nard. Wiping them with her loosened hair. This was an extravagant outpouring of love and spontaneous worship that could wait no longer. It didn’t seem to matter what was said as Judas objected. Mary, above all others in the room, knew that Jesus was her Lord and Savior. She had once intently listened to his words at Martha’s objections. Jesus wept with her at the tomb of her brother. He then raised Lazarus from the dead. While the others failed to listen carefully as they walked with Jesus, while the others argued among themselves, while the others slept, Mary sat at his feet and listened. She witnessed God’s power. She experienced God’s love. She knew the One who sat at her table was truly the Messiah.
Down comes her hair. Out comes her most priceless possession. It cannot wait. The perfume of adoration, love, worship, praise and offering fills the room and ultimately the world. That’s what extravagant worship is like…spontaneous, overflowing, priceless and permeating.
There is something quite breathtaking in Mary’s act of extravagant worship. Did Martha stop serving the others and gasp at the sight of her sister loosening her hair, or was she too busy to notice? Did anyone hear the sounds of the perfume’s container being broken open or did all heads turn at the first scents that filled the air? Were there quiet mumbles from those men around the table or were there shouts of “STOP!” Perhaps spontaneous and extravagant acts of worship silence a room for a moment before any objections can be voiced.
First things first, Jesus says. “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘ Love your neighbor as yourself.’ “ Mary has exampled this to us in her extravagant way of worship… she loved with ALL of her heart, with ALL of her soul and with ALL of her mind. May this be our worship…spontaneous and extravagant, with a love for Jesus that breaks open our hearts. Worship that fills the room with its fragrance and scents the world with love and compassion for others. Extravagant worship. Close your eyes. Take a deep breath and smell worship’s fragrance … and continue to walk with him toward Jerusalem..
(reposted)
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