"I tell you the truth, wherever the Good News is preached throughout the world, this woman’s deed will be remembered and discussed.”
Mark 14:9
Mark 14:9
Remembered and discussed. Not just remembered but also discussed. This woman had no idea that what she was doing was going to be remembered and discussed today, Friday October 23, 2009. She did what came natural to her. She humble herself before the Lord. She fell at His feet, the feet that in only a few short days would be nailed to the cross for her eternal freedom. She gave all she had to Him regardless of the cost to her finances, reputation, or security. This was a woman who loved her Lord.
The Greek translation for remembered is rendered memory. It is used only 3 times in the New Testament. Once in Matthew's account of the story and the other in Acts. The occasion in Acts describes Cornelius' acts to the Lord. Scripture says he was a devout man who feared God, prayed continually and gave alms (charity and support) to the Jewish people. His acts would be remembered and made a memorial to God. The Greek word literally means that by which the memory of any person or thing is preserved.
How will my memory be preserved? Will what I did while on this earth be remembered and discussed? (Not boastfully-hear my heart) Will it matter? Will someone generations from now know how much I loved Jesus? Am I giving Him all I have regardless of my finances, reputation, and security?
As I read today's reading, I could not help by start singing one my favorite songs ever. I trust it will bless you as much as it has blessed me. We never know the cost of someone's Alabaster's Box.
11 Comments:
Hello,
Oh Wendy that song made your verse come alive in a new way for me! Regardless of anything, Mary gave her all to Jesus! "And though she spoke no words everything she said was heard as she poured her love for the Master from her box of alabaster." Thank you for sharing this song and blessing my morning! Will those around me be able to say, "She loved Jesus more than anything else around her?"
"Father, bring glory to your name," (John 12:28). Jesus did not pray for his Father to deliver him from what he was about to endure, he prayed for the Father to be glorified! Wow! Jesus was never contemplating His own needs or thinking of himself.
After reading the additional posts from yesterday I will have to say, "Praise God!" ... "Praise God in highest heaven!" (Mark 11: 9 & 10)
Susan~ we give God the glory for bending down and hearing your plea to free the cancer from your body. Every bit of it. Humbly we prayed right along with you, we wanted God's will in this. He healed you. And like Wendy said, because of Jesus you my friend are worthy! Receive this gift of love from your Father. This encourages me to keep praying because we know He hears us and we see Him during our moments each day!
Joy~ Glory to God! Oh, I'm rejoicing right along with you! Who would have thought after 8 months! God's ways are better than we would ever think or know. And, to come home on your Mom's bday! This has to warm her heart! Praying for your health today too dear friend!
Ladies, so much to rejoice about on this beautiful Friday that the LORD has made! Love each one of you, and thank you for your comments which richly bless me!
Hugs, Lori - AZ
Hi all,
Just a note to bring friday/ weekend greetings and to let you know that I am still here.
I have matured tremendously through reading both God's word and your comments this year. One of the things that I have learnt is to listen for God's voice, while I read and to obey His instructions. One of the instructions I received was to start a journal of my daily readings. I knew it would be a challenge because reading and writing were never my favorite subjects in school/college,hence my reason for embarking on a career that involves very little of it, or so I thought!(I'm a CPA currently working as an auditor - the only job closer to reading and writing is to be an English teacher!)smile.
To make a long story short, I started to journalise each time I felt led to, because not everyday I would feel led to write. Then I felt led to take the journal along to my church weekly bible study, then to church on Sundays. So now, I'm a little journaliser bunny who's focus is so much on making entries in this little book 'til I've neglected posting to this blog!
Nonetheless, I am still keeping up with the daily readings and I'm still being blessed through your comments and I'm still praying for the group. To God be all the Glory, great things He has done, doing and will continue to do!!!
Be Blessed all!
Chanan, Bahamas.
Susan and Joy I just got to read yesterdays last couple of posts. I am praising the Father with both of you.
So humbled to be a part of the prayer process with you.
Singing His praises with you,
Amen,
Hugs and lots of love dear sisters
Be back later,
Diane
Joy, what joyful news you have shared... I celebrating with you!
Wendy, I once used this verse to write a tribute to my mother-in-law, who poured herself out for me. She selflessly gave of herself to meet my needs, so that I could tend to my husband's needs during his illness with cancer. She could have demanded her rights as a mother, yet she placed me above herself. I will always remember what she did for me... I am blessed to be her daughter-in-love.
My nugget today was more like a crushing stone. Jesus wept. (Lk 19:41-44) "How I wish today..." He was God, He could make it happen! Yet He stood back and allowed His heart to break for those who rejected the opportunity for salvation. He would not force them - just as He was not forced to endure the cross. He knew it was too late for those people but He was thinking of us, two thousand years later... and He carried on to do the Father's will.
Oh Jesus, I believe and I receive... may this bring tears of joy in your eyes today.
I know this may sound silly, but "remember" is my favourite word. I am so thankful that the Lord remembers me. I pray that those who come behind me will recall my obedience and faithfulness and long after they forget me, they will still remember Him.
Lori, I couldn't help but write about the verse you mentioned in your comment: “Father, bring glory to your name.” John 12:28
This has been my prayer since March 3rd of this year. As I have stood by the bedside of my dad after errors in care were made causing life threatening complications to arise. It’s been a weary walk.
As others encouraged our family to take action against the hospital, we offered forgiveness. Does this mean we just accepted the mistakes and continued on? No. We expressed our disappointment in the health care system. We met with those who held influence over future patients care and voiced our concerns. We held hands around dads bed and in waiting rooms and prayed, giving testimony to the one Physician who ultimately was providing dad’s care. Like Christ we prayed for the cup to be passed (Matthew 26:39), but He chose for us to sip a little, and in the drinking to glorify His name.
Friends, if you haven't read yet, I have exciting news!!!
Back on March 27th, I wrote that short of a miracle my dad would not be coming home. Well…we’ve received that miracle!!
In just five more days, October 28th, my dad is coming home! What makes this homecoming a double blessing is that October 28th is my mom’s 84th birthday! What a gift. What a Giver!
Lord, I pray that as we’ve journeyed this unexpected road for almost eight months, daily at the hospital, our lives have brought You glory. I pray our responses and reactions have spoken of You. I pray staff and visitors have seen Your presence.
Father, I thank and praise You now for bringing glory to Your name in dad’s illness and healing. Although his mobility may be slower and he’ll need some assisted care, his mind has been renewed and my dad no longer demonstrates the characteristics of one effected by the medical error made.
Father thank You for glorifying Your name through pain and suffering, through doubt and fear, through confusion and heartache and now through praise and rejoicing.
In my life Lord, be glorified today,
Joy
Yay God for Your amazing blessings!! Halleluia!
The alabaster jar story caught my attention too. Since we are reading this chronological Bible and all the versions of the story were lined up together, I noticed the discrencies in the details. It made me go: "hhmmmm". I love digging deeper! I found a wonderful commentary online that stated that some theologians believe this was 3 different occurrences of Jesus being annointed with the perfume. One was at Simon the Leper's home. One happened at Lazarus's home and one at Simon the Pharisee's home. Twice the perfume was poured over Jesus' head; once on His feet. The days mentioned were: 6 days before Passover, & 2 days before Passover.
Jesus annointed 3 times. Could this have significance?
Just thoughts to ponder....
Morgen - MN
Oh Ladies, I just had to pop in and say "hello" and "Wow," I love seeing what God is doing in your lives. He does hear our prayers, and His timing is so much better than ours. I am so thankful to be a part of all that continues to happen here (even though I have not been commenting very much.) As Lori love to say, Big Hugs to all of you.
My nugget for today was tucked right in the verses you all mentioned. In Mark 14:8, we hear Jesus boldly stating "She has done what she could..."
Sweet friends, this verse brings such healing to my weary soul. The fact that Jesus realized that Mary simply what she could. No more. No less. She gave her all in the place and time that God made her.
So often, I think that I have to do more, be more, give more in order to be remembered. If I was Mary, I probably would have been trying to sell that alabaster jar on ebay so that I could have more to give.
But Jesus says "No, give me what you can. I know where you are in life. I know your heart. And all I ask is for you to give me what you can. You!"
Oh sweet friends, may we all kneel in humble devotion giving Jesus what is priceless in His eyes - ourselves!
Blessings and praises for all of you! You are so precious to me!
Blessings to all as we continue our walk together!
(Is it feeling like more of a jog right now to anyone else but me? :)
As has happened a couple of time this year, I have been with you all even though I have not been writing. I have so missed sharing these past few weeks - developing a new routine in a new home with a new job has proven to be quite a challenge. I'm no sooner up than I'm out the door it seems.
I've been praying on this, and our faithful and loving father has been helping me. Praise Him!
Our lessons through the NT are so much richer for having just read through the OT. I am delving so much deeper than I ever have before into our daily texts. NT verses which I've heard all my life are taking on completely new meaning for me!
Wednesday nights I've been taking a class studying the book of John, and it has been God's gift to me that the sections of John in our chronological study have been lining right up with the sections being presented each week!
This morning I wanted to say too, that I'm always so touched by the complete honesty and awe in all of your posts. It is incredible to me how deeply I feel your hurts and joys as you share from your boxes of Alabaster: I pray your prayers and I sing your songs; I celebrate and praise our God with you every step of the way. I really am so grateful to Wendy and to each one of you for saying YES to God when he asked you to take this journey. What richness we have received!!
Another line which jumped out at me this morning was Luke's account of Jesus' response to the Pharisees, who encourage him to rebuke his followers for their praises:
"If they kept quiet, the stones along the road would burst into cheers." Luke 19:40
Amen to that! LoveloveLOVE it!!
Peace and blessings sister sojourners,
Liz
AK
Susan and Joy, thank you for sharing your wonderful news and thank you for your additional insights today!
Chanan, I love the journizer bunny!Mogen, thank you for the nugget!
I have nothing significant to add to these posts today, but I wanted to celebrate with all of you the good news that God is bringing to you today!
Great big hugs!
Karen
The verse, "She has done what she could..." reminds me of a verse in Esther 4:14 when Mordecai told Esther that she was brought to this point "for such a time as this".
Has the Lord brought me to a circumstance for "such a time as this"? Will I follow Him? Will I allow Him to lead me through the "circumstance", or will I try to get out of it? Will I give my all regardless of what people think?
Father, give me the wisdom to follow You through to the end even when it is hard and mentally exhausting. Give me strength and courage to follow you where You lead me.
Keep writing dear ladies, your words mean so much to me. Thank you Wendy for your faithfulness in such a time as this.
Susan, still praying for your recovery, and praising God for His healing.
Joy, what a blessing. Thank you for being a "little Jesus" in the face of such a terrible experience to everyone in the hospital. Someday, in eternity, you will see the results of your testimony to so many.
Jan TN
Susan and Joy, I am rejoicing with you this afternoon! I have two really busy weeks this week and next and even though I am keeping up with the reading, finding time to post anything has been a challenge. I HAD to go back and read all the good news though after reading through the comments today :)
Wendy, I did not get that testimony written this week for you, I just ran out of time. This study has meant so much to me and I can not wait to meet all you dear sisters. I will plan on writing one next year if God leads you to continue leading this into 2011.
Morgan, I am so glad you commented on the difference in those passages. That was something I marked as well with a question mark. I was wondering if this was in fact different accounts. We know that ALL scripture is God breathed and The Truth so when things like that make me ask questions I try to find out the answers. Thanks so much for the commentary.
Kristen,I found your comments particularly helpful to me today. So often I feel people look question my decisions about my time and how I serve. Why I am not at church on Wed and why I am not in small group and why I can't go to the prayer meetings on Saturday mornings, etc. Any of you ever feel people just don't understand? I know that I am in God's will though and I am serving and am where HE wants me and that is what matters. He knows my heart and I am serving Him with my whole heart in the places He has me. I share wonderful news with you ladies. I am starting a Moms in Touch group for my son's school. Christian Community schools has never had a MITI before and God placed this on my heart and on the heart of our PTF President at the same time. My husband John thinks it is cool, and for him to be behind me doing this I KNOW it is a God thing. We are going to start meeting on Nov 5th every 1st and 3rd Thursday from 8-9 after we drop the kids off at school. It is out of my comfort zone, but I know God equips us when He calls us. I got up and talked in front of the parents on Tuesday night at the PTF meeting and that alone is Christ working through me. I have always been so shy and terrified of being in front of people. Others notice that too and it is so awesome when you know Christ is living through your life. I ask you guys please just pray for me as I get this started. I know God has amazing things planned as a result of our moms praying for CCS and our children.
You all have a wonderful weekend. Praising God with you sisters! Isn't He the greatest? One more thing real quick, I was listening to a song by Selah today called "You Deliver Me" and there is a line in there that says, "I must be forgiven sometimes asking why
I was chosen to be given you in this life." As I was singing along with it today it hit me how amazing it is that we were CHOSEN to know Him, He chose me, He chose you! If the world only knew the joy and how amazing a relationship with Christ truly is. I so want that for those that don't have that. How different and amazing their lives really would be!
Ok, going now :) Off to play Mario Kart now with Will.
Bless you all~
Brandee, TN
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