Martha Served

Scripture: John 12:1-11  (Click link for scripture in Bible Gateway)

1 Six days before the Passover celebration began, Jesus arrived in Bethany, the home of Lazarus—the man he had raised from the dead. 2 A dinner was prepared in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, and Lazarus was among those who ate with him. 3 Then Mary took a twelve-ounce jar of expensive perfume made from essence of nard, and she anointed Jesus’ feet with it, wiping his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance. (John 12:1-3 NLT)

Jesus was back in Bethany just before Passover, and his friends Martha, Lazarus, and Mary had prepared a dinner to honor him. Jesus, his disciples, and some neighbors and friends were at the table, and dinner was served!

Martha oversaw the preparation and serving of the meal, making sure everyone had plenty to eat and drink. She bustled around, listening to snatches of table conversation, then rushed off to the kitchen to send a servant with more wine. She tried to look stern and focused, but she was so happy to have Jesus at her home again, she couldn’t help smiling! She wished this evening could last forever! Lazarus sat at the table with Jesus and the others, enjoying being alive and being with his friends. He was trying to explain what it was like to die, and then to suddenly gasp air into his lungs and at the same time to hear Jesus shouting his name! It was hard to explain and  amazing to remember, and dinner had never tasted so good!

Then Mary brought out a treasure, a twelve ounce jar of perfume made from essence of nard, imported from India, and worth a year’s wages. As Jesus sat at the table, enjoying the food and his closest friends, Mary quietly came to him carrying the small alabaster jar, and knelt down at his feet. She poured the perfume on his feet and wiped his feet with her hair. Fifty-thousand dollars’ worth of fragrance filled the house and everyone was stunned by her incredibly extravagant act!

Do you realize what Martha, Lazarus, and Mary were doing? They were being themselves and expressing their love for Jesus in the best and most appropriate way they knew how! Just like you and I can do!

Prayer:

Father, Thanks for Martha, Lazarus, and Mary and their freedom to simply love Jesus and to express their love in their own unique way! Please help my friends and me to learn how to simply be ourselves and to express our love to Jesus in our own unique way!