Waste it All

As I’ve thought and prayed about this next season and heading off to YWAM, the Lord has given me vision for what it will look like by drawing me to the story of the woman with the alabaster jar:

Mark 14:3-9

“While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head.

            Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, “Why this waste of perfume? It could have been sold for more than a year’s wages and the money given to the poor.” And they rebuked her harshly.

            “Leave her alone,” said Jesus. “Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me. She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial. Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.””

Pouring out the perfume on Jesus' feet was the woman's response to recognizing the person of Jesus and wanting to bless Him. She was coming into agreement with the purpose God had for Him. She prepared Him for His burial. Not only was this a sacrifice as she used an expensive perfume that cost up to a year’s wages, but it was an act of obedience. This act of obedience helped prepare the way for the Father’s plan for Jesus to be the ultimate sacrifice for all of us.

           Through studying the story of the woman with the alabaster jar, God showed me there is a connection yet difference between the ideas of obedience and sacrifice. The woman's sacrifice ends up being a crucial part in the unfolding of God’s plan for Jesus to be crucified. She becomes part of God’s master story when she lays down the thing that is of great value to her to be obedient to offer her sacrifice to anoint Jesus for His burial. The sacrifice delights Jesus and He responds by saying, “She has done a beautiful thing to me.” Her obedience to offer her sacrifice is a gateway to prepare for what God wants to do next. Obedience comes from a heart that is connected to the heart of the Father. 

Sacrifice delights and blesses God and acts of obedience help accomplish the things God wants to do. Obedience often requires sacrifice.

           God has been repeatedly showing me a picture of myself in the place of the woman with the alabaster jar. I am breaking open my jar of perfume on His feet. Pouring a year’s worth of wages over His head. Breaking open a jar of perfume and letting the scent anoint and bless His body. The contents of this expensive perfume are my dreams, my desires, my career, my money, my relationships, and my family. I am giving up things that are of great value to me in these next six months because He is of the greatest value to me. It is such an honor to pour all of this at His feet and follow where He is leading.

“God, I love you so much and I want to offer you this small sacrifice in response to the love you have poured out on me.” 

           He deserves our sacrifices, and He deserves sacrifices that cost us something because if they don’t, are they really sacrifices? I want to give the next six months as a sacrifice to Him, not because I have to or because I feel obligated to, but because sacrificing the things I have is a response to knowing and loving Him. He is the King of kings and the Lord of lords and He deserves all the honor and praise and glory I have.

Sacrifice costs something.

           My heart’s desire is to be obedient to what the Father is saying. I have felt the Lord drawing my heart to go to YWAM for many years and I am so excited to finally be going this January!!! Just like the woman with the jar of perfume, although this sacrifice will cost me something, I am so honored and full of joy to give it to Jesus.

There is such a beautiful freedom and exchange that happens when God shows me the picture of me breaking the jar I have in my hands over the feet of Jesus. I feel myself getting closer to Him and ministering to Him in a brand new way. It feels so good to release to Him the things I have worked so hard for because it is a small sacrifice in comparison to all the Lord has done for me. It feels good to pour out a thank offering to show Him how much He means to me and how much I love Him. To many people it may look like a waste…a waste of money, a waste of time, and a waste of my skills. But to me, there is immeasurable value in giving what I have to the only deserving One in all of heaven and earth. Like the disciples, many will respond and say, “Why this waste? Why waste the money you’ve worked hard to get? Why waste the skills you have like this?” My only answer can be because He’s worthy of it and He looks on sacrifice and says, “She has done a beautiful thing to me.” 

“God dignifies us-- with sonship, glory, acceptance, royalty, purpose, significance, wealth, honor, salvation, wisdom, revelation, understanding, status, character, holiness, victories-- so that we might enjoy the highest privilege of casting it all at His feet.” (Secrets of the Secret Place by Bob Sorge) 

The motivation behind giving the sacrifice is simply because He is worthy. He gave Himself for me and that causes me to want to give everything back to Him. There is also an expectation with the sacrifice I give because I know God delights in using the sacrifices we give and the obedience we walk in to advance His kingdom. As Bill Johnson says, “Fire can only fall on sacrifice.” So in going to YWAM, I am expectant of the fire of God to fall on this small sacrifice I am giving to the Him. This fire will fall and consume the sacrifice and leave my spirit burning even brighter for Him. In the journey of these next six months, I am looking forward to being set more on fire for Him and being used to set the world on fire. I am burning for a deeper and more intimate relationship with my heavenly Father and I know this is a gift He longs to give me. I am excited to learn and grow in wisdom and discernment as I exercise my gifts and become more in tune with the Holy Spirit. I am so thankful and excited to have this time to pursue Jesus and be obedient to the call He has placed on my life!!

I'm gonna waste it all on You
I'm gonna my heart's perfume
I don't care if I'm called a fool
I'm wasting it all on You

(Waste it All by Chris McClarney)

There are a lot of unknowns and mysteries about what is coming next and what all the Lord is going to do while I am there, but I will continue to trust Him with my life and my plans and follow Him into greater truth and life.

He’s worth it. He’s worthy of it. He is so amazing, and I am so in love with Him! I can’t help but lay down my life and follow Him. I’m gonna waste it all on You Jesus!

♥ Melissa