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May 02, 2024 06:00am

At the Feet of Jesus

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I used to love the Look and Find books when I was a kid. Who am I kidding? I still do! It seemed there was always something new to find. Even if you had already finished the list the book gave of things to find, it was fun to make your own list and seek out new things.

That’s one of the things I love about scripture. Every time you read, there’s something new, something you’ve never noticed before, and the significance hits you in a brand new way.

John 12:1-3
Then Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead.
2 There they made him a supper; and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him.
3 Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment.”

I feel like the little girl in the GIF. Her expression exudes excitement—she’s bursting with it!

Here’s why I feel that way. There’s so much in this little passage of scripture worth diving into. As I read, I often stop and ask, why?

Why did John mention it was six days before the Passover?
Why was it important that Mary used Spikenard on Jesus’ feet?
Why did she use her hair?

Let’s examine this oil and its uses to understand its significance and answer our why questions.

Spikenard is an oil derived from a plant in the Himalayas. It is very fragrant and often used in several ways, but it is very costly.

Why did Mary choose to do this?

1. Mary was recognizing Jesus as King and anointing Him.

2. Using her hair was an act of humility and surrender to Him as King. It was considered humiliating for a woman to be seen with her hair down and uncovered in front of men other than her husband or father. But Mary chose to use her hair instead of a towel. What a beautiful, humbling expression!

3. The oil was costly. The amount would have been equivalent to almost a year’s worth of wages. By using such expensive oil, Mary was sacrificing a great deal. This was her offering to the Lord.

4. This oil wasn’t just used to anoint kings. It was also used to prepare a body for burial. This is one of the reasons it was significant for John to mention the timing of the Passover. The death of Jesus was close. Whether they all recognized it or not, Mary’s act foreshadowed what was to come.

When Mary saw Jesus, these were her reactions. What are ours?

Do we fall at His feet, recognizing Him as King in full surrender? Do we humbly seek Him and His favor? Do we sacrificially give the most costly things in our lives for Him? Do we recognize His death and what it signifies for us?

May we all be found at the feet of Jesus today.