It should change us
by Eloise Swallow
“Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.”John 12:3 NIV
There’s a story in the Bible of a woman, Mary, who in an act of extravagant worship, pours expensive perfume over Jesus’ feet. The Bible tells us that “the house was filled with the sweet smell of her perfume”. Her worship was so extravagant that it affected everything around her.
When we choose to abstain from things that we really want, from things that are good in our life, it’s like we’re choosing to pour out our own expensive perfume at the feet of Jesus. And the impact of that, like the scent from the perfume, should spill out into our lives.
It should change us.
It should inspire us to turn our backs on things that our culture says are okay, like materialism, greed and overindulgence, and instead recognise that every good gift we have been given has been given to us by God. We honour him by holding those things lightly, choosing to give them up, and give them back to God.
We live in a world that has constant demands on our time, and our attention.
For our wedding anniversary, my husband and I went out for dinner. The table next to us spent most of the evening not talking to each other, but sat on their phones. But as we drove back, we reflected that we’re addicted to our phones too. Who isn’t these days?
But If our phones distract us from the person sat opposite us, how much more do they distract us from God?
This world demands our attention, constantly, it wants more of our time, more of our life, more of our hearts. We need to say no. We need to abstain.
When we choose abstinence, we reject those parts of our culture that drive us further from God and instead pour out our lives in wholehearted worship to him. We grow more fully into who God has created us to be. In rejecting worldly desires, we can find a deeper relationship with God, the one our hearts should desire above all else. And so if you are longing for a deeper connection to God, why not try abstinence?
Choose something to give up this week- something you’ll really notice, like TV, social media or caffeine. Every time you find yourself reaching for your phone, the remote, or a cup of coffee, use it as an opportunity to redirect your thoughts to God and spend some time in prayer.
Father,
Thank you that you love to give us good gifts. We’re sorry for when we’ve allowed our culture to direct our attention away from you. Help us to hold things lightly and not let them distract us from what is most important: you. Help us to live lives that honour you, and wholeheartedly worship you in everything we do.
Amen
