John 12:1-11JOH 12:1-11
Mary did not come to hear a sermon, although the greatest of teachers was there. To sit at His feet and hear His word (Luke 10:39) was not her purpose now, blessed as that was in its proper place. She did not come to make her requests known to Him. There was a time when, in deepest submission to His will, she had fallen at His feet saying, "Lord, if Thou hadst been here, my brother had not died." John 11:32. But to pour out her supplications to Him as her only resource was not her thought now, for her brother was seated at the table.
She did not come to meet the saints, though precious saints were there, for it says, "Jesus loved Martha... and Lazarus." John 11:5. Fellowship with them was blessed, but fellowship was not her object now She did not come after the weariness and toil of a week's battling with the world to be refreshed from Him. Surely she, like every saint, had learned the trials of the wilderness, and probably knew the blessed springs of refreshment that were in Him.
She came at the moment when the world was expressing its deepest hatred of Him, to pour out on Him what she had treasured up (v. 7). That which was most valuable to her, and all she had on earth, she poured on the Person of the One whose love had made her heart captive, and absorbed her affections. She passed the disciples by. Her brother and her sister in the flesh and in the Lord did not engage her attention then. Jesus only filled her soul; her eye was on Him; her heart beat true to Him; her hands and feet were subservient to her eye and to her heart as she "anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair.”
Adoration, homage, worship and blessing were her thought in honor of the One who was "all in all" to her. Surely such worship was most refreshing to Him.
The unspiritual (v. 4) might murmur, but He upheld her cause. He showed how He could appreciate and value the grateful tribute of a heart that knew His worth and preciousness, and could not be silent as to it. A lasting record is preserved of what worship really is by the One who accepted it, and the one who rendered it.
Is this your mode of worship, or do you on the Lord's day go to hear a sermon, say your prayers, meet the saints, or be refreshed after your six days of toil? Oh! if every eye were on the Lord alone, if every heart were true to Him, and if we were each determined to see "no man, save Jesus only," what full praise there would be! Not with alabaster boxes now, but our bodies filled with the Holy Spirit, a stream of thanksgiving and worship of the highest character would ascend in honor of the blessed One who now adorns the glory as He once adorned the earth. May we thus worship Him in Spirit and in truth.
D. T. Grimston
Worthy of homage and of praise;
Worthy by all to be adored;
Exhaustless theme of heavenly lays!
Thou, 'Thou art worthy, Jesus, Lord