A Fragrance of Worship

“…a woman came with an alabaster flask of ointment of pure nard, very costly, and she broke the flask and poured it over his head.”
Mark 14:3, ESV

There is a song called Like Oil, and the Holy Spirit kept bringing it to my heart. One morning, instead of getting out of bed at my usual time, I lay there for hours as the chorus played over and over in my spirit. I couldn’t quite understand what the Holy Spirit was saying, so I finally got up and listened to the entire song on repeat. I knew God was speaking.

Then, all of a sudden, it hit me. The “oil” being poured out represented the gifts and talents God has given us. We are called to lay everything we have at His feet.

I was reminded of the woman who came to Simon’s house:
“…a woman came with an alabaster flask of ointment of pure nard, very costly, and she broke the flask and poured it over his head” (Mark 14:3, ESV).

This song was reminding me that the oil inside of us will cost us something to bring it out. Yes, God has given us these gifts, but the alabaster box had to be broken. We, too, must be broken—freed from old ways—and sacrifice will be required.

The woman who poured the oil on Jesus went to a place where she was not welcome. She knew she would be judged and looked down upon, but she was not there for people—she was there for Jesus.

She knew Jesus was there to free her, and she wanted Him to know how grateful she was. She was willing to do whatever it took to serve Him. We must be willing to do the same: bringing all that we have and laying it before the Lord.

There is a line in the song that says:
“I pour this perfume not to impress the people standing ‘round;
I pour this perfume ’cause of Your worthiness, as I behold You now.”

Our focus must be on one audience—YHWH. He is worthy of it all. When we serve through our gifts, we are praising God. His love has freed us and given us the gift of eternal life.

Key Takeaways

• We each have our own alabaster box.

• To release the gift inside, some things in our lives will have to be broken.

• No one else can present your unique gift to God. When you do, it becomes a deeply personal and sacred act of worship unto Him.

Affirmations: Matthew 10:20; Luke 24:32; Ephesians 6:19; Isaiah 55:11

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