Daily Devotions – Beautiful Devotion

Daily Devotions – Beautiful Devotion

Photo by ABEL MARQUEZ on Unsplash

 

Click this link to hear an audio version of the below text narrated by SOTH member Jerry Rhinehart:

 

Mark 14:1-11 NIV
Jesus Anointed at Bethany
14 Now the Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread were only two days away, and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were scheming to arrest Jesus secretly and kill him. 2 “But not during the festival,” they said, “or the people may riot.” 3 While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head. 4 Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, “Why this waste of perfume? 5 It could have been sold for more than a year’s wages and the money given to the poor.” And they rebuked her harshly. 6 “Leave her alone,” said Jesus. “Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. 7 The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me. 8 She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial. 9 Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.” 10 Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Jesus to them. 11 They were delighted to hear this and promised to give him money. So he watched for an opportunity to hand him over.

 

What is the most beautiful thing another person has ever done for you?

 

You described Mary’s deed of devotion as doing a beautiful thing to You.  Mary’s extravagant act, forces me to think about how I show my love and adoration for You.  Sometimes going to church or serving is something I do. Help me to not be devoted to doing acts of service, or to a cause, but instead let my heart be drawn to intimacy with You. You are more than an answer to my problems or a cause worthy of my commitment, but You are a beauty and worthiness that surpasses everything else in this universe.  Let my agenda be driven by adoration.  Genuine faith involves my heart and it involves my affections. Lord, You are calling me to love You, to delight in You, to be captivated by You, to worship You and to be overjoyed because of who You are. I desire that my sacrifice of time, talent and treasure is inspired by an affectionate faith as my expression of my love for You. Let me praise and worship You with extravagance out of my total devotion to You.  Give me the heart to truly follow You. I pray that my devotion to You is a beautiful thing. Amen