Jul 22, 2011

The Alabaster Jar



Alabaster Jar reminds me the story of a woman who gave everything she have and practice a life of servanthood. It's not easy.
To show love when there is nothing to love, be patience to the undeserved, practice kindness without any return.
People may take advantage of it, leaving scars along the way.
The world would say: Protect yourselves from getting hurt again. Love only when there is an advantage.
God would say: Cast all your cares upon Him, Love your enemy..
Somethings are indeed not easy to put down and will sometimes cost everything, the hopes, dreams and plans one could ever have. But the art of surrendering is what God requires. We look to God in prayer, in the moment of joy and the moment of agony. We surrender our feelings for Him to comfort us and wipe away our tears, we surrender when it hurts for Him to heal our pain, we surrender when we hit dead end for Him to make a miracle..
Life is harsh no doubt, but we don't own anything here and we are just temporary. If we look at life as a whole, we would ask: Is this life worth living or is there other purpose for it? Question after question, only the one who created us could answer. We are just the women with the alabaster jar, surrendering everything at the feet of Jesus and serve God's will.

The story:

Matthew 26:6-13

New King James Version (NKJV)

6 And when Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, 7 a woman came to Him having an alabaster flask of very costly fragrant oil, and she poured it on His head as He sat at the table. 8 But when His disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, “Why this waste? 9 For this fragrant oil might have been sold for much and given to the poor.”
10 But when Jesus was aware of it, He said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a good work for Me. 11 For you have the poor with you always, but Me you do not have always. 12 For in pouring this fragrant oil on My body, she did it for My burial. 13 Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.”