December 9, 2022 — She did what she could; how about me?

“I was reading in Mark’s gospel last night,” Stan commented one morning, “and I saw a simple statement Jesus made about a woman; it’s a statement I want to hear about myself.”

“What’s that?” I asked.

“A little background,” Stan replied. “It was getting close to the time for Jesus to go to the cross. He was having dinner with a friend in a village near Jerusalem. A woman poured some costly perfume on Jesus’ head.”

“Why in the world would she do that?” I asked.

“We’ll get to that,” Stan replied, “but your reaction was just like some of the people in the room. They were indignant with the woman about how she had ‘wasted’ something valuable. Those people said the perfume could have been sold to give money to the poor, but that’s not what Jesus said.”

“What’d He say?”

“Jesus told them to leave the woman alone,” Stan replied, “that she had done a good thing to Him.”

“What good thing?”

“Jesus indicated that she had anointed His body for burial.”

“Oh,” I replied, “His burial that was to occur after His crucifixion. But how does that apply to anything you want to hear?”

“It’s what Jesus said about about the woman,” Stan said. “He told the others that the woman had done what she could.”

“She had done what she could,” I repeated. “Yeah, I can see that would certainly be a great thing to hear God say when my time here is completed. How do you think that can happen?

“For me,” Stan replied, “it’s simply a matter of doing what God has for me to do while I wait for the train! Jesus said the woman did what she could. How about me? Am I doing what I can?”

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Bible verses to consider: 

She has done what she could; . . . . Mark 14:7.

And his master said to him, “Well done, . . . .” Matthew 25:23; Luke 19:17.

This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Matthew 3:17.

Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do, and does not do it, to him it is sin. James 4:17.

Prayer: Thank you, Father, that you sent Jesus into the world to do what He could in obedience to you. As a result of what He did, I know I will spend eternity in your presence when it’s time. Thank you, too, that you want me to do what I can for you and your kingdom while you keep me on this side of eternity. I confess that too often I don’t do what I can because that’s what I choose. Please forgive the foolishness of that. And please help me follow every step of your lead so I do, in fact, do all that I can, all that you enable me to do, for you and your kingdom. Thank you that I can and do bring these prayers before you in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Think on this: Have you accepted what Jesus did on the cross so you know you will spend eternity in God’s presence when it’s time? If no, why have you not accepted God’s free and gracious provision? If you are a Christian with the assurance of salvation and redemption, are you doing what you can for God and His kingdom while you remain on this side of eternity? If you sense the need for change in what you do, how is that going to happen? Is that what you want? Why or why not?