Extravagant Love
It takes God to love God. We need the Spirit’s impartation of God’s love to equip us to love God. Our desire for God is God’s gift to us. Our love and desire for God is an expression of His desire for us.
There is much to glean from the story of Mary of Bethany. I am stirred by two realities concerning her story. First, I am provoked by Jesus’ directive that wherever His gospel is preached her story must also be included with it (Mark 14:9). Secondly, I am stirred by what the “fragrance ministry” (worship and prayer ministry) represents throughout the Word and where the Lord is bringing is before His return. Mary of Bethany’s story is significant to us not only because of her personal extravagant devotion but also because she operated in a forerunner spirit in partnering with Jesus’ leadership. She saw where Jesus was going and partnered with Him “beforehand.”
Then, six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was who had been dead, whom He had raised from the dead. There they made Him a supper; and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with Him. Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil. But one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, who would betray Him, said, “Why was this fragrance oil not sold for three denarii and given to the poor?”… But Jesus said, “Let her alone; she has kept this for the day of My burial. For the poor you will have with you always, but Me you do not have always.” (John 12:1-5, 7)
Mary breaks the flask and pours the whole thing on Jesus. This was equivalent to a year’s wages (maybe a modern-day $40,000). This was Mary’s inheritance, her future. She falls down on her knees and begins to use her hair, getting it wet, washing Jesus’ feet. In 1 Cor. 11, it tells us that a women’s glory was her hair and here Mary uses her glory to do the most menial task of washing feet.
God’s desire is to awe us with pleasure available only in relationship with Him. He taps us on the shoulder and whispers “Turn around! Look at the superior pleasures, the beauty of My Son, the greatness of who you are in God–My chosen partner who will rule and reign with Me forever!” It is when we fix our eyes on these things, on the greater pleasures of God that something happens in our hearts. The First Commandment shifts into first place and we begin to live wholeheartedly.
Jesus will vindicate the lifestyle that cultivates a heart that is responsive to God in love. Mary’s act of devotion is remembered through all of history. Rare acts of devotion come from cultivating a spirit of entire devotion as a daily lifestyle. We were created for good works in Christ (Eph. 2:13). Jesus calls Mary’s act of extravagant devotion a good work, this flowing out of extravagant love. Jesus endorses these works.
WRITTEN BY, WHITNEY HAND
