Evening

March 30

Matthew 26:7, 12-13 ⁷a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table.

¹²When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial. ¹³I tell you the truth, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her."

This is extravagant worship! The woman was so blessed by the words of Christ that she took something as valuable as a year's wages and poured it out on Jesus' head (Mark 14:5). Whether she consciously knew that Jesus was about to be crucified for her sins or not, we cannot tell, but Jesus said she did it to prepare Him for burial. She was moved to make this costly action and did not allow her mind to keep her from it. How many times are we moved to do something that seems excessive, but we allow our reasoning to justify not following through? The carnal mind is often at odds with the Spirit.

Extravagant worship is almost always criticized by reasoning people. Someone will always suggest a better use for the time or the money. Some that were present suggested it could have been sold and given to the poor. Jesus cut short their petty bickering by telling them that the poor can be given help anytime. He was not going to be with them much longer. If our action is at the leading of the Holy Spirit, we may never know the far-reaching effects or His real purpose. There would be no time to anoint Jesus' body before His burial. The women came to do it on resurrection morning, but somehow, the woman in our text today was moved to do it beforehand.

The fact that you are reading this today is proof that Jesus' words have come to pass. This woman set an example of loving Jesus with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. She doesn't rank very high with historians, and we aren't certain of who she was. (Some think she was Mary, Lazarus' sister. See John 11:2.) But she rates high in the hall of fame of the faithful for this extravagant act of worship.

Consider: Are you an extravagant worshiper?