The Scent of Worship

The fundraiser went fabulous, and even though I was an emotional mess by the time I got home, and I am still feeling really drained, I am glad I had to opportunity to work with such wonderful people for such a wonderful little boy! It looks like all the money needing to be raised for the dog is now raised!!!! Praise God!

So I have had something on my mind/heart for a few weeks now that I would really like to share with you. I was reading Angie Smith's book I Will Carry You about the loss of her daughter Audrey. She recounted a portion of a sermon she once heard and it has really stuck in my head. I am going to re post part of it from her book here. I would love to post the full 8 pages of this section, but that would be too much. I implore you to get a copy and read it, or even go to Amazon and look up pages 121-128. ( I wouldn't usually recommend this method but seriously if you can't get a copy of the book read it there!)  I greatly encourage you to ponder it, meditate on, live it out.....

 Days after the resurrection of Lazarus a celebration was held in honor of Jesus. Everyone was gathered around the Lord when Mary shattered a bottle of perfume and wiped the lavish scent across His feet with her hair. The scent was to be used in a society where bathing was not frequent so this particular nard was extremely pungent. A few drops would have been more than enough, but with out regard to cost, or what those around her might think she simply poured it all out as an act of worship. Many have speculated that Mary  was preparing her beloved savior for His death and burial, but our pastor went on to explain that-The scent of the perfume surely would have been on His skin a few days later when He was beaten and crucified. So in essence, every time a Roman soldiers whip hit Him, the scent of Mary's worship was released and rose all around Him. A reminder of who He was. 
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As Mary and the others who loved Jesus watched Him, they were overcome with desperation. The Lord Himself cried out in hurt, and they stood helpless watching as the breath of this life left Him. At some point she left the site of the crucifixion and I imagine wandered the streets in sadness to visit and mourn with friends and family. Here is the part you many not have considered before now. Every where she went, every step of the way, she was followed. Every person she came into contact with, every stranger who saw her cry, every home she entered was being filled with something intangible, a gift that would be with her for many days to come. It was scent of love fore her Savior, and it was caught in her hair. Close your eyes for a moment and imagine the beauty of this image. She was carrying with her the invisible yet ever present reminder of who He was to her with out a single word she told His story over and over again. 

Taken from "I Will Carry You" by Angie Smith pages 121,122,127,128


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