alabaster.

some days we’ve gotta look our past in the face and cry — 

because debts are only a silent fury,

and worries are invisible snakes. 

and tears are shed in light of pain,

that launch us into hope and faith. 

...

i’m ready to waste it all 

all of it on Him,

and if you have not a clue what i’m referring to — there’s a story of a lady at Bethany. 

she came with an alabaster flask of ointment of pure nard, this was costly... worth so many years* and hard work and tears and savings; three hundred denarii. 

she came to pour it on Jesus’ head. 

some said “why was the ointment wasted?!” i’m sure they thought she was nuts. i mean, who takes their savings and straight dumps it on a mans head? knowing that they can’t gain it back? this ointment could have been used for the poor, or another “good use,” so they scolded her. 

but hold up, stay with me… and then Jesus stepped in — “leave her alone. why do you trouble her? she has done a beautiful thing to me. for you always have the poor with you, and whenever you want, you can do good for them. but you will not always have me. she has done what she could. she has anointed my body beforehand for burial...” 

and so, we see that the woman wasted her alabaster jar filled with ointment, on Jesus... but! not just for any reason… right before burial. 

KNOWING He was about to die. 

KNOWING she couldn’t get it back.

KNOWING others would think she’s a fool.

now who wouldn’t call that love?! sacrifice?! beauty?!

i can’t even fathom. 

...

and so i tell this story,

because i have been wrecked. 

i tell this story because i think that some of us

need to say goodbye to our past that we’re holding onto so tightly. 

we need to bury the old, and put it to death. 

we need to understand that surrender is courage 

and that holding tightly to our savings can often be rooted in fear. 

we need to cry those tears.

...

so i have a few questions for you to ponder —

what is it that we need to offer up that we’re holding onto so tightly?

will we set the table in the presence of our enemies, and trust that we will be provided for? 

are we willing to waste it all? 

i don’t know about you,

but i wanna waste it all on Him.

i want to trust and surrender and have full faith,

despite my debt and fears and worries. 

despite the names i may be called,

despite the chaos i am feeling. 

i want to take my alabaster jar 

and i want to give it up

for true sacrifice 

and pure love. 

i want to give it all. 

Mark 14:3-9

---

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