I Will Save Nothing
Jesus was sharing a meal with a group of men who perceived themselves to be very important. A woman came into their presence, a woman the men considered unworthy of their time. In her hands, she carried an alabaster box containing very expensive perfumed oil. This box and its contents are worth more than most people make in a year.
She Would Save Nothing
She takes this box and breaks it. Then she pours all of the oil on Jesus. In absolute worship and total brokenness, the lady bows at the feet of Jesus. Her tears mix with the perfume as she anoints the feet of the Savior and wipes them with her hair. She knows that to worship God you must be completely broken and poured out for Him. You cannot hold anything back. You must save nothing.
The men there that day were angry at the woman. They were partially angry because they thought that she was not fit to be there. They were also angry because she wasted this valuable ointment. But the real reason they were angry was the contrast between their worship of God and hers. Their worship of God was an attempt to manipulate Him into giving them what they wanted. When she worshiped she expected nothing in return, she truly took up her cross and died to herself.
Will You Save Nothing ?
What about you? If you received nothing in return, would you still bow at the feet of Jesus? What if there were no blessings to be had? What if no prayers were answered? Yes, there is salvation to be gained. There is hell to be rescued from and heaven to receive but what if there wasn’t? Would you still worship God?
I Will Save Nothing
My friends let me tell you. My God is worthy of all honor and glory and praise. It does not matter if I get anything in return. He is the Creator and Owner of all things and He alone is worthy of all I have. I will save nothing for myself, I will be broken and poured out for My Savior.
“And being in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, as He sat at the table, a woman came having an alabaster flask of very costly oil of spikenard. Then she broke the flask and poured it on His head. But there were some who were indignant among themselves, and said, “Why was this fragrant oil wasted? For it might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor.” And they criticized her sharply.
But Jesus said, “Let her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a good work for Me. For you have the poor with you always, and whenever you wish you may do them good; but Me you do not have always.
She has done what she could. She has come beforehand to anoint My body for burial. Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.”
Mark 14:3-9 NKJV
https://bible.com/bible/114/mrk.14.3-9.NKJV
Douglas & Deborah Huff
From Down Where the Pavement Ends
email-douglas@pavementendsministry.com
Why We Save Nothing
“Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.”
I Peter 5:6-11 NKJV
wow – this one is a real challenge my faith has to rest in Him alone . thank you Douglas.