Alabaster Jar

Dear friends,

Happy Thanksgiving!

I read this passage in Luke 7 this morning, and it seemed to fit Thanksgiving. Who is most thankful? The ones who realizes how much mercy God has had on them! Let your love for him be extravagant today (and always) as you serve Jesus by serving others.

Blessings,
Virginia

P.S. I wrote the "Alabaster Jar" poem while I was in college.

Now one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, so he went to the Pharisee's house and reclined at the table. When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume, and as she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.

When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner."

Jesus answered him, "Simon, I have something to tell you."

"Tell me, teacher," he said.

"Two men owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he canceled the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?"

Simon replied, "I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled."

"You have judged correctly," Jesus said.

Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little."

Then Jesus said to her, "Your sins are forgiven."

The other guests began to say among themselves, "Who is this who even forgives sins?"

Jesus said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace."

~*~*~

"Alabaster Jar"

by Virginia Knowles

Alabaster jar, costly sweet perfume

Devotion broke it open

Fragrance filled the room.

Poured over Jesus’ head

Anointing for the grave

Some saw only money lost

Jesus blessed the love she gave.

Broken and poured out, broken and poured out

But there’s no waste of life, just fragrant sacrifice

And it’s all because of love.

Can you see his love? Messiah on the cross

Body broken, blood poured out

For our sin’s redemption cost

Can you see his power? Victory over death

Hell could not contain him

Nor quench his living breath

Broken and poured out, broken and poured out

But there’s no waste of life, just fragrant sacrifice

And it’s all because of love.

Lord, break me for your glory,

Pour me for your name.

Let me share his sufferings

And power just the same.

Crucified with Christ is what I want to be,

For when I’ve died to my old life,

I’ll rise up to be free.

Broken and poured out, broken and poured out

But there’s no waste of life, just fragrant sacrifice

And it’s all because of love.