The Fragrance of Adoration.

A few weeks back, I was brought to the first story in John 12. Some of us may be very familiar with this story, and others may not be as familiar! It is the story of Mary of Bethany pouring her expensive bottle of perfume on the feet of Jesus.

For me personally, I was semi-familiar with this tender story, but I never looked at it deeply & the Lord brought a beautiful connection that I believe I am to encourage you all with today. I never fully grasped the fullness of expensive perfume being poured out on the feet of Jesus… in fact, I always wondered how you could put such expensive perfume on feet. Mind you, this perfume was a year’s salary worth of perfume…

“Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of perfume (John 12:3, ESV).”

It was an act of pure devotion from Mary. A feverent worship of her heart. A deep adoration for Jesus, her Savior. And it wasn’t the act of pouring this incredibly expensive ointment that caught my eye this time, it was the last line of the verse… “That the house was filled with fragrance of perfume.”

After Mary’s faithful act of dedication and honor to Jesus, the house was filled with the aroma of it all. The home that was housing the dinner of Mary’s family and Jesus, was filled with that tenderness of Mary’s offering, a sacrificial offering that cost a year’s wages.

 The woodsy & spicy sense of pure nard left a reminder that that very house was honoring the King Jesus. That every drop of that perfume was worthy to be poured out.

I am challenging us with a thought of how can we get ourselves center in pure adoration for Jesus Christ in our lives? How can we position our hearts to be so captivated by who He is to pour our offerings, worship, and praise upon his feet?

Because our devotion, adoration, offerings, and sacrifices leave a fragrance for others to notice. Let our homes be flooded with the fragrance of adoration of Jesus… let our office spaces know that love rises like incense because of who Jesus is in our hearts & let our neighbors smell the aroma of love spilling out from the cracks of our home.

Let’s leave the fragrance of Jesus wherever we go as an offering of all our hearts.

With all my heart,

Haley

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