Do you question if God is worth giving up your all?

Do you question if God is worth giving up your all?

Jesus told us that the most important command, is to love your God, with all your mind, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. Paul tells us to offer ourselves as living sacrifices.

Do you ever struggle with this command? The bible tells us plainly that its a command. Non negotiable. Like an officer to a soldier, its an order. We struggle. We worry. We question if its worth it. But when we obey as such, we will be remembered by God and He will honor us. Perhaps, a story can help us. The story is told in Matt 26, Mark 14 and John 12.

It is only two days away from Jesus crucifixion. Jesus was in the home of Simon. Mary, sister of Martha and Lazarus, came with a jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard, broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head.

It is worth mentioning that the perfume was contained in a alabaster vial, made out of a special marble which is the best container for preserving expensive perfume and oils. The pure nard is oil derived from the nard plant native to India. That is was pure meant that it was genuine and unadulterated which made it so costly. The perfume was worth more than a year's wages, 300 denarii. In today's terms, i think it should be at least 30,000 USD.

Once you break the vial, it cannot be kept for reuse. It is meant only for a one time usage for a woman's most important occasion in her life, her wedding.

Mary then anointed Jesus feet with the perfume and wiped them with her hair. A woman's hair is her most prized possession. Washing a man's feet was the most looked down upon work.

This was an act of pure worship. A sacrificial act, yet done with a cheerful heart by Mary to our Lord.

Mary's symbol brings to live loving her Lord with all her heart, her soul, her mind, her strength.

In return, Jesus says, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.

This is an example for us to follow. Are we willing to give to our Lord our own alabaster vial of perfume, made of pure nard? Its worth it. For our Lord. Those who honors Him, He honors them.