Mark Tate

“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 12:3 (New Living Translation)
 
This is one of my all-time favourite bible passages, it’s such a beautiful and intimate scene that John describes for us. The cost of Mary’s worship was extraordinary, the perfume she used was worth around a year’s wages. It was a lavish and beautiful thing she did for Jesus as she anointed him for what was to come; the cross and the tomb. In her worship she was so physically close to Jesus, close enough to wipe his feet with her hair. 
 
And what was Jesus reaction, did he pull away or tell her to stop? No, he commended her for doing such a beautiful thing for him. But have you noticed that little line at the end of the verse “And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.” Her worship didn’t just affect her, Jesus and the people in the room; no, it affected the whole house, you could smell the perfume everywhere. The same is true of our worship of Jesus, it doesn’t just affect us, but it also changes the atmosphere in our homes and in our communities.
 
Prayer
Lord Jesus as we pour out our worship to you today, may it be pleasing to you and may also change the atmosphere in our homes and communities.
 
Prayer Request
Pray for our online services that they would encourage us to continue worshipping together as a community and for wisdom for all church leaders as they seek to find new ways of worshipping under current restrictions.