Reclining At The Table

I woke up thinking about this passage...

"Six days before the Passover, Jesus therefore came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. So they gave a dinner for him there. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those reclining with him at table. Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was about to betray him), said, 'Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?' He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, and having charge of the moneybag he used to help himself to what was put into it. Jesus said, 'Leave her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of my burial. For the poor you always have with you, but you do not always have me.' " - John 12:1-8 ESV

We are always going to have needs. The thief says, 'What a waste. That should have been spent another way.' but it is not true.

Jesus could have said, 'Don't have this dinner to honor me. Let's just hand out the food on the street.' but He didn't. He reclined and enjoyed what was put before Him. Far from stopping Mary, He quieted Judas.

We also need to tell that saccharine goody two shoe voice that wants to stop us from enjoying God and each other to pipe down. Special times are special. More will always need to be done. The poor are always around but the visitation of God fills the room with a fragrance.

I for one like the birthday and anniversary party. I like the send off dinner and celebrating some ones return. These are rare times and we should savor them. The fire is always going to demand another log. Fires are like that. Our life with God is a life of recognition.

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