The story of the woman with the Alabaster Box is told in different gospels in the New Testament. The Gospel accounts in Mark 14:3-9, Luke 7:36-50, John 12:1-8 and Matthew 26:6-13 were explicit about the legacy of a woman who defied all odds to pour ‘adoration’ on Jesus.
In Luke 7:36-40, the woman labeled as “immoral” heard that Jesus was dining in her city of Bethany, at the home of an important figure - Simon the Leper. She came to Jesus, knelt before Him, and washed His feet as an act of worship and adoration. Despite her actions, many who were present saw her as “unclean” or “unworthy” to be there.
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It is important to understand the cultural context of that time to fully appreciate the circumstances of this story. In ancient times, women were forbidden from readily approaching religious teachers. Even in some religions today, this is still a tenet embraced to identify how sacred religious leaders are. The act of the woman entering the room to anoint Jesus would have been quite shocking, eliciting anger from the men present there.
What the did woman did was a bold, courageous act of worship.
Worship is more than singing. It is an extreme display of love for God that starts from the inside and is tied to your complete understanding of Him. Your conviction profoundly impacts your worship.
God Demands Worship
It is God’s desire that you worship Him. Exodus 20:2-4 (NKJV) “I am the Lord your god, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of bondage. You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself a carved image – any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth…”
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Whatever you pour your love out to worship, is what you reverence. When you pour your love out in worship to God, you take a spiritual journey in a higher realm to fulfill God’s worship demand. Jesus confirmed this in John 4:23-24 that one must have the right heart to worship God because God loves to have sincere worshipers who adore Him in the realm of the spirit and in truth.
Jesus also said in Matthew 4:10 (KJV) “…Get thee hence, Satan; for it is written, thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve.” Jesus emphasized that it is written that we must serve ONLY God.
Whatever you pour your love out to worship, is what you reverence.
The gift you place on the altar does not purify the altar. It is the altar that sanctifies the gift. The heart with which you do what you do determines God’s decision to accept the worship. God is a spirit and loves true worshipers who adore him sincerely.
Jesus saw through the woman's heart and her Alabaster box. When men considered her action extravagant, wasteful, and unnecessary, He described it as beautiful and worthy of acceptance.
Turn to God in worship
Today's day-to-day activities create enough distractions. Between work, family, and various challenges vying for our attention, it's easy to lose sight of what truly matters. As a result, our spirits can grow weary and feel disconnected from the presence of God.
Setting aside time for worship becomes essential. Psalm 141:2 (TPT) says, “Let my prayer be as the evening sacrifice that burns like fragrant incense, rising as my offering to you as I lift up my hands in surrendered worship!”
We may not have alabaster perfume boxes to offer God as the woman did, but we can “lift up our hands in surrendered worship” and cultivate simple habits that will keep us focused on God.
Make that commitment today.