As you start off your day, take a second and read the full story of Mary’s extravagant worship to Jesus:
“While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of Simon the Leper, a 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. When the disciples saw this, they were indignant. “Why this waste?” they asked. “This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor.” Aware of this, Jesus said to them, “Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me. When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial. Truly I tell you, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her” (Matthew 26:6-13).
Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus, REALLY got it. She is one of those people the Bible talks about that REALLY understood how Jesus was special. She recognized the need to take pause and pay attention.
Her response to Jesus’ death is beautiful. She worshipped him. Not a casual, what’s-next-on-the-agenda worship. But an extravagant worship where she didn’t count the cost. It was a reverent worship, an extraordinary worship, perhaps even a reckless worship. She didn’t care about what others thought, or what they might say. She worshipped as if no one was watching. To her, Jesus was the only thing that mattered.
How can we lean in and live a life of this reckless worship that Mary exemplifies? What will your response be to Jesus?
Are we taking the time to pause and sacrifice our time and resources to truly worship Jesus the way he deserves to be worshipped?
Take a moment and listen to this song. While you’re listening, journal about the ways that you can worship wholeheartedly.