By Judy Villanueva

While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head.

Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, “Why this waste of perfume? It could have been sold for more than a year’s wages and the money given to the poor.” And they rebuked her harshly.

“Leave her alone,” said Jesus. “Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me. She did what she could.”

I love words that make me smile and have some definite favorites!  “Nard”, for example.  Say it and see if you don’t smile!  Now I admit that it was this word that caught my attention today as I read Mark Chapter 14 but, as I slowed down my reading and drew near to the text, much more than an amusing word spoke to my heart.  “She has done a beautiful thing to me,”  I heard Jesus say as he chastised her critics and cherished the beautiful gift she gave him. “She did what she could.”  I tend to regard God as someone who doesn’t need my puny offerings but that notion is quickly corrected when I observe Jesus receiving and relishing the blessings of love —  like from the woman who gave one coin, the Centurion who offered great faith, or the woman who poured out a jar of nard to love Jesus.

Is it on your mind to love Jesus? 

This is the question that the woman with nard seems to ask me today.  The woman mentioned in this story planned to love her Lord.  She brought to Jesus the best that she had and poured it out over him.  Love filled her heart and she gave lavishly and extravagantly. “She did what she could.” 

Love does what it can!  It is active and thoughtful.

That Jesus finds our gifts of love beautiful is a wonder to me.  It makes me want to love God better and more and with all that I have.  How do you love Jesus?   I want to love God but sometimes find it difficult to locate my nard!  What is my best, most lavish gift?

I suspect that, like this woman,  I need my heart touched and filled up with Jesus. I need to hear His voice and receive His love.  I need to spend time in His presence, sit at His feet and look at His face.  I need to let him fill my heart until it bursts.

Then and only then can I love with my best because the love of Christ in us —IS the miracle — that makes us beautiful and fragrant offerings.  Nard!  (Did you just smile?)

“Father, help me to love you better and more and with all that I have. Thank you for your beautiful love.  Amen.”  

How about you?

Is it on your heart to love Jesus today?  

How do you love Jesus?  

Are you thoughtful and active in your love for God and others?

Have you received God’s love for you?  If so, dance in it!  If not, pray and open your arms to receive it.

Worship

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lnUk074PiE