The Alabaster box was made of marble stone. Within this particular Alabaster box was the ointment known as Myrrh. Myrrh, a white liquid that flows from a tree in Africa & Arabia, was the principal ingredient in the anointing oil used in the Tabernacle & Temple. In Jewish custom it was also used by those who were condemned to death by crucifixion.* But it was neither the Alabaster box nor its ointment that mattered in this moment.
A woman had come to the house that Jesus was visiting. She came & did only one thing that Mark recorded (Mark 14:3-9). She broke this most precious, expensive box & poured it’s equally precious & expensive contents onto the head of Jesus.
This one action caused the people around Jesus to become angry, resentful & annoyed. ‘Why was this fragrant oil wasted?’ they questioned. Jesus response was profound, it revealed his heart. ”Leave her alone. She has done a beautiful thing to Me.” (14:6)
This woman who’s name we’re not even told, did something to Jesus. She did not do something for Him, but to Him. She ministered to Jesus. She touched Jesus & it was beautiful to Him. Her action was that of one who loved Him. It was possible for her to serve Him but she chose to love Him. This action meant something to Jesus, it touched His heart & His heart is the most precious thing we can know. Jesus was blessed & ministered to.
Those around Jesus declared it to be a waste! They misunderstood & condemned her. But they also misunderstood & revealed their lack in knowing Jesus. They did not see with the eyes of their spirit, only the eyes of their flesh. After all this oil could have been sold & the huge amount of money given to the poor!
Instead this woman wasted it on Jesus.
Such has been the invitation over the last years for us. Over this time the Lord has repeatedly said to us, ‘If all you get is Me, is that enough? Am I enough?’ Countless times the Lord has positioned us so that all we had was Him, no ministry, no programs, no home of our own, no regular community nothing but HIM.
Our lives are precious, our time once gone, cannot return again. We are an alabaster box. Would we waste them on the Lord to simply be with Him?
In a time of countless opportunities, programs, conferences & things to do for the Lord, He invites us all to once again learn to wait on Him, worship Him, love Him for Him not what we can get from Him or even do for Him.
To be emptied of ourselves, our agendas, our plans, our works & programs. We have been ‘wasted’ as some people have declared. One leader from Israel said to us when we lived in Germany, ‘What a waste that you have had so few opportunities to speak to gatherings of people here in Germany!’ He went on. ‘But how else could you Mark & Helen, invite people to be wasted to be with Jesus, if you had not been wasted yourselves?’
This is the heart of the Tabernacle. Space that is set apart for the presence of the living God, to simply be with Him. It is a Holy, intimate place where there is no other focus, no other agenda but that a beautiful thing is done to Jesus, that He is blessed & loved. For it is all about Him, not us. This means something to Him.
This is the heart of a relational God. He is returning. Our bridegroom is calling to you, ’Rise up, my beloved, my fair one, and come away.’ (Song of Songs 2:10)
Would you be wasted so you could be with & bless Jesus?