John 12

Orginally posted on Feb. 16th, 20008

We have started the 2nd half of our precept study on John. This morning we did the overview of John 12-21. It was hard for me because I am details person and I wanted to get in the details of the chapters. Thankfully, we will get to do that with each chapter in the coming months. God really has given me a love for the study of His Word. I have not always been there so I am so thankful for the times that I just feel like I can't enough! I started the detail work of John 12 this morning. God is so good to meet us and remind us of the same things over and over and over.

Here is what I learned and what God spoke to me about for my own life over this chapter.The chapter opens with Jesus in Bethany having dinner with some friends. How cool is that! Aren't you so thankful we serve a personal God. Mary goes and pours some expensive perfume over his feet and wipes his feet with her hair. Some people get upset about this because they feel like Mary should have sold the perfume and given the money to the poor. Jesus responds to them by saying, "It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. You will always have the poor among you, but will not always have me." This got me thinking... Do I serve in ways that I feel like God is calling me to serve Him or do I serve in ways the crowd thinks I should? Do I listen more closely to the crowds (even the church) for what my response to Christ should be or do I go directly to the throne? Do I pass judgement on the way someone chooses to worship and think their gift would be better served another way? We have freedom in Christ. He has uniquely gifted each of us. How sad it must make Him to watch us only respond to Him in ways that we have seen or feel comfortable with. I want my worship, like Mary's, to be more out of overflow then custom.
And ladies and gentlemen...that gets through verse 8! :)