Ep. 162 — Paving the Path Into His Presence + ”The Fragrance Filled the House”
The Fragrance Filled the House.
John 12.3: “Then Mary took a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the odor of the ointment.”
That is the sort of worship I long to give. What a beautiful display of adoration from a grateful heart. Not only was Jesus a friend, but Mary had seen him perform the miraculous.
On a previous visit, we see her sitting at his feet and soaking in his presence. But now we see her incredible desire to pour out the most expensive thing she has upon him.
First, it was a pound—12 ounces according to Strong's. That's a lot of perfume.
Second, it was very costly. Very costly.
Those words break me. It was not a small offering. It was not a cheap offering. There was nothing inexpensive about her gift.
Third, she humbled herself before Jesus and the watching guests. She got on her knees, took the place of a servant, and lavished love on Him that would reverberate down through the ages of time.
Her actions were not light. As Pastor said last week, “our worship must have energy and essence.” Her decadent offering most certainly incorporated both. It was her best. It was the most extreme and expensive thing she could think to offer, and it was born of love, adoration, and desire.
This morning, the line, “…and the house was filled with the odor of the ointment,”jumped off the page.
Her offering, her gift, her worship, her lavish outpour changed the atmosphere. It was not a little bit of scent that you'd smell when you'd get close to Jesus or Mary. It was not a whiff.
No, rather the intoxicating aroma permeated the entire house. It affected all who were there. Even those who may have been in the other rooms and had not seen her actions knew that something had taken place.
The fragrance of her offering was proof to all nearby that something was different. Someone worthy of sacrifice was in the house and someone was willing to sacrifice for him. “The odor filled the house.”
The lingering, permeating scent was proof of her worship that outlasted the experience and affected all those around her. The offering was for Him, but its impact was far beyond Him. I am a firm believer that one person's worship can change and charge the atmosphere.
Whether that be in a church service, a home, or some other setting, I believe one person's lavish offering can usher in the presence of God for those around it. One person's worship can transform the entire tone of a particular service or setting. Like a lightning rod grounding all the power and energy of a lightning bolt, one person's raised and reaching hands can ground the power and glory and presence of God.
This is why worship matters. This is not just for you. It's just for Him, but its impact will reach beyond Him.
An individual's lavish sacrifice of praise will cause others to realize someone is connecting with Jesus and I'm going to, too. Lavish worship, expensive, costly, intentional worship will cause the house to be filled with the aroma and will cause the atmosphere to be infused with the scent of adoration. It is that adoration and lifting and exalting of all he is that draws his manifest presence.
Real, authentic, passionate worship attracts him like a magnet and affects not only the one offering it, but all those in the vicinity. Most of all, it affects Him. Wow!
I fall so short but pray to offer and pour all that I have and am in worship before Him. Whether it is lived worship, sung worship, or spoken worship, I pray to offer it intentionally and lavishly.
Public worship is birthed in private worship. Public worship and prayer are practiced daily. Let me determine to practice. Let me determine to pour.
“And the house was filled with the odor of the ointment.”
Thank you for joining me for this journey!
Go grab your Bible and your journal!
I look forward to the power of this habit in your life. This is Unedited.