Expensive Perfume Anyone?

Matthew then takes us back to Jesus. "While Jesus was in Bethany [two miles from Jerusalem] in the home of a man known as 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" (verses 6-7). A whole jar of perfume! The smell would have filled the entire room.

"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.'"

Then Jesus, with special emphasis, then said, "I tell you the truth, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her" (verses 8-13).

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Many would state the obvious Mary did this to anoint the King for his upcoming death at the cross and his burial.

And while I totally agree with the real meaning of this story, something else jumped off the page at me in a different way today. The disciples said in the middle of this story, “Why waste such expensive perfume.”

Mary anointed Jesus with a luxurious fragerance. It was probably one of the most expensive items she had in her house. In their time this bottle of anointment costs roughly 300 denarii so in modern terms we’re talking $30000.

Grasp this.

God gave us His most expensive offering even when other people said or thought, “what a waste.” He gave us his son Jesus.

Aside from his son -  God readily and willing gives us blessings and treasures from heaven. Not because we have earned it, not because we think we deserve it but rather just because He loves us and because He can.

It’s hard for me to understand why He would do such a thing. The human me says, “I’m just some person in this big storybook called life and God wants to just bless me just because? No way am I worth that much.” The saved me says, “Don’t try to understand His blessings or his plans for you. Just go with it. You are precious in his eyes and He wants to bless you.”

When Mary broke the neck of the perfume flask the fragrance infused the entire house and the oil wasn’t even poured out yet!

When Jesus died on the cross for me and you that was our flask being broken for us. When we accepted Christ in our heart that was the beginning of us being infused with God’s goodness!

It wasn’t a waste. You are not a waste.

Psalm 139:14 says “¹⁴ Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.”

Embrace the fact that God wants to lavish you with awesome heavenly treasures.

Just. Because.

-Humbly Mrs. Z

Ransomed

The bible talks about how satan wants so steal, kill and destroy us. (John 10:10) 

When I think about this verse I’ve always had this subconscious thought that he can’t literaly kill me. Ridiculous right? I of all people should know this….but recently I began to ponder on the idea of this spiritual being putting a bounty on my head.  

My eyes have never been clearer to the meaning of this verse than now.  

Think about it this way.  

Satan doesn’t want me to succeed in anything…….ANYTHING! 

So it’s as if he puts a bounty on my head and all of hell is trying to capture me, to steal my joy, to destroy what God has done in my life….to yes even literally kill me.  

This being said, when I enter into battle with my daily prayer life. . . I’m allowing God to ransom me today. Yes I wrote that correctly: I’m allowing. Sometimes I think that I know best and I try to fight for myself. However, when I remember the scriptures I know God has taught me better.

I can’t rescue myself like God can.   

Psalms 111:9 says, “He has paid a full ransom for his people. He has guaranteed his covenant with them forever. What a holy, awe-inspiring name he has!”

When a kidnapper asks for ransom they are asking because they have taken something that does not belong to them.

 

 

Mom, dad, sons, daughters……you were always meant to be free. And don’t you dare think for one second that God never intended you to be free. Because that’s a lie. You have power and authority over things that go on around you that you cannot see.

Use it. 

John 8:36 says, “So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free.”

 

Your ransom has already been paid, live in that freedom today.

 

Can I be transparent for a moment?

Psalm 139:23-24 (KJV) – Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

Can I be honest for a minute?

Being a parent is so stinkin' tough! Sometimes I wonder, God are you sure you picked the right person to do this?

There was an incident this week when my darling little one got very upset. Mind you it was all because she was quite comfy in her little seat. So she decided she wanted to go on strike so she wrapped herself in her blanket and sit on the car floorboard.

I asked nicely lets get inside so we can get dinner going, wash dishes and get to church early...or at that point at least on time!

It didn't work. So I used ultimatums....well if you don't no this and no that.

That didn't work either. The time was 6:10PM, church started at 7 and I was getting so incredibly frustrated knowing that I had to get dinner done or it meant we would be eating at 9PM that night. So with that in mind I said fine just stay in the car! I then opened the door to the house and kindly said to my husband please go get her out of the car.

Definitely not my proudest mommy moment.

How many times do we get comfortable where we are with a full understanding that we are suppose to take a step out of the "car."

God gives us subtle hints of where He wants us to go next, gently leading us to his plans. But we resist him. We think no sir God my way is way better!!

We both in our own ways through fits that Wednesday evening. But in the back of my mind the scripture James 1:19-20 kept coming to mind.

19 My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry,²⁰ because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires

 

Parents.....moms..........keep scriptures buried in your heart. I'm not going to say that you won't ever feel angry, upset, hurt or saddened by your children. I will say that when you have scripture written on your heart God will refresh your spirit with them time and time again.

She and my husband came inside, we said our sorry's and our we forgive you's. We ended up having spaghetti that's cooks in a matter of minutes for dinner that night. And we actually got to church 5 minutes early.

1 Peter 1:16 Since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”

 

Whats in a name

They say that a name marks you. That it does so in a way that it determines certain aspects of one's life. 

My name is Jamie.

The literal meaning of it means to supplant.

The dictionary defines supplant as followed -

1 to supersede (another) especially by force or treachery
2a (1) obsolete : uproot (2) : to eradicate and supply a substitute for <efforts to supplant the vernacular>

b : to take the place of and serve as a substitute for especially by reason of superior excellence or power

But even though this may seem like a bad definition.......I look at it another way.

God has used me to supplant others for his Glory.

To cause one to be set a side. Set aside for God.

In the same sense. . . he's supplanted me by giving me a heart that is willing to go wherever He calls me.

It amazes me how this subconsciously this defines us.

Take our daughter's name, Shelby, for instance. (For obvious reasons yes she's named after the Shelby mustang.) She is fast, overflowing with energy, very strong willed in the best of ways. 

The literal meaning of her name means "where the willows grow."

Willow trees thrive the mostly when they are near water and as a result their tree limbs become quite flexible. The willow tree can bend without ever snapping! It adjusts well to life rather than fighting it. It not only survives but thrives even in the most challenging circumstances.

Think about this we are the willow tree and God is our water. When we're near him we become flexible to his calling and direction. We can withstand the daily storms that come at us without breaking because we have his strength flowing within us. 

image by: unknown

I can already tell that little miss shells is quite fearless about the many things her three year old self does. I can't wait to see where He takes her.

My husband's name is Cesar. It is one of the strongest name I can think of to date. It means to lead with a powerful and strong personality. I even had a relative of mine say, "you don't want to marry someone who doesn't have a strong name."

If you know my husband he has a very strong personality and has the ability to lead and lead well. Which is one of the great reasons I fell in love with him and married him.

Whatever your name may be I leave you with this verse:

Psalms 1:3 says He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season and its leaf does not wither, and in what he does he prospers.