Have You Done What You Could?
“She has done what she could ….”
Mark 14:8a (NLT)
John’s Gospel identifies the woman who anointed Jesus with the beautiful alabaster jar of expensive perfume as Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus. The Bible says that the amount Mary used was worth a year’s wages! It was an extravagant expression of love and gratitude. Jesus was not only a good friend of Mary and her family, but He raised her brother, Lazarus, from the dead! Little wonder that she would give Him the best she had to give. Beyond that, Mary had insight from listening to Jesus. She sat at His feet when He came to their home for dinner. She heard Him predict His death. Jesus rebuked those who were scolding her for such an extravagant “waste” of resources, letting them know she was anointing His body for burial ahead of time. The gospel writer, Mark, records the account like this in Mark 14:6-9 (GW), “Jesus said, ‘Leave her alone! Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing for Me. You will always have the poor with you and can help them whenever you want. But you will not always have Me with you. She did what she could. She came to pour perfume on My body before it is placed in a tomb. I can guarantee this truth: Wherever the Good News is spoken in the world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her.”
Knowing that His time was short, Mary did what she could to express her love to Jesus. When I read a story like this, it begs the question: Have I? Have I done what I could? Is there something more that I could do? If you knew that you only had this moment left with someone you loved, what would you want to do so that they would know you loved them? Jesus said, “Leave her alone. Why criticize her for doing such a good thing to Me? … She has done what she could ….” As a pastor who often preaches sermons, I’ve discovered that people may forget what I say, but they will never forget how I made them feel. Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, wherever the Good News is preached throughout the world, this woman’s deed will be remembered and discussed.” When you have done what you could do, it will never be forgotten. Why not do it now?
Another important part of your daily devotional is spending time with God in prayer. The Woodlands Church Prayer Board lists prayer requests submitted by our members and provides a way to send them some encouragement by using a button on the page to let them know that you prayed for them. Whether you use the Prayer Board, or pray from your heart, the goal is to build the habit of incorporating prayer into your quiet time.
Need prayer yourself? Let us know by submitting a prayer request on the Woodlands Church Prayer Board.