Mark 14:3 And being in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, as He sat at the table, a woman came having an alabaster flask of very costly oil of spikenard. Then she broke the flask and poured it on His head.
4 But there were some who were indignant among themselves, and said, "Why was this fragrant oil wasted?
5 For it might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor." And they criticized her sharply.
6 But Jesus said, "Let her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a good work for Me.
7 For you have the poor with you always, and whenever you wish you may do them good; but Me you do not have always.
8 She has done what she could. She has come beforehand to anoint My body for burial.
9 Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her."
The Woman with the Alabaster Vial did something unusual. She deserved Praise, instead, she was criticized sharply. She was divinely inspired by God to Anoint and prepare the Body of Jesus for burial. To everyone, what she did appeared insignificant but her work was significantly significant in the eyes of God.
Likewise, the wise men anointed Jesus at His birth. They were magicians of the east, pagans, that were scripturally not considered for a ministry of the High Priest. Being Pagan, they performed priestly duties of Anointing Jesus with Myrrh & Frankincense. Their work was significant to God.
The feeling of unworthiness is often the cause of many people who remain as under-performers. In the eyes of humans, we are sure to find unacceptance but God changes the rules. He lifts up the broken-hearted. God has divine purposes in the lives of ordinary lay persons. He is interested in transforming us for greater and divine purposes. Hallelujah!
Jesus said, Matthew 10:29 - two sparrows are sold for a cent but still not one falls to the ground apart from the Father.
My sons, Jacob and John, brought from the market two chicks to rear them up at home. A few days gone, one of the chick turned very sick. It appeared as dying, the situation is hopeless. Yet, we believed that the Father is aware of these. He is mindful about them. So then, how much more about us? Hallelujah!
We think we are insignificant but God checks on every detail that relates to us - "Indeed, the very hairs of our head are numbered. (Matthew 10:30)
The Lay Ministry is very vital in the extension of the 'Kingdom of God'. Some ministers do not believe in the Anointing of the unqualified. Yet, in their theology, they study at lengths about the "Fishermen" who followed Jesus. Very often, I myself am questioned about my Theological Background. I have none. But no one believes in the Ministry attested by Signs and Wonders but more on the degree that is on paper. How Sad!
As we read the Bible, we see great heros who were ignored by those around them but they were chosen by God:
1) Jesse
Jesse, the Father of David did not consider his 8th, youngest son as 'Significant' to parade before the great prophet Samuel for selection of a King. Yet, God saw greatness in David even as a kid, he was anointed as King by Samuel.
1 Samuel 16:11 And Samuel said to Jesse, "Are all the young men here?" Then he said, "There remains yet the youngest, and there he is, keeping the sheep." And Samuel said to Jesse, "Send and bring him. For we will not sit down till he comes here."
12 So he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, with bright eyes, and good-looking. And the LORD said, "Arise, anoint him; for this is the one!"
2) Israel
After seeing the great wonders of God, in Egypt and the Power of God that led them through the wilderness, Israel saw themselves as Tiny before the descendants of the Nephlim (Giants). They complained to Moses, "We looked like Grasshoppers." That was how they pictured themselves in their heart.
Numbers 13:32 And they gave the children of Israel a bad report of the land which they had spied out, saying, "The land through which we have gone as spies is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people whom we saw in it are men of great stature.
33 There we saw the giants (the descendants of Anak came from the giants); and we were like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight."
3) Gideon
The Angel who met Gideon at the threshing floor had a peculiar method of greeting him - "O valiant warrior!" If it was me, I would certainly swell-up with confidence. Yet, the timid Gideon had many doubts about himself - "My family is the least of all in Mannaseh and I am the youngest in my Family (meaning 'Insignificant') (Judges 6:15)"
The Angel assured Gideon - You shall defeat Midian as "One Man" (Judges 6:16). Gideon was such a mighty man on the inside but he himself was not aware of his spiritual position and strength in the LORD.
4) Saul
Ananias said to the Holy Spirit about meeting Saul (who later turned to Apostle Paul) - "Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem. And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name (Acts 9:13-14)." But God saw greatness in this rebellious young man called Saul. The Holy Spirit assured to Ananias, "Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name's sake. (Acts 9:15-16)."
Dear child of God, with God by your side, do you see greatness in yourselves???
There are heros in the Bible who saw themselves in the way that God saw them:
1) David
A young boy, David, has a Faith that was not found in the whole of Israel. When Israel was terrified by the stature and threats of Goliath, and in great fear, David had a different view of this giant - "Then David spoke to the men who stood by him, saying, "What shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God? (1 Samuel 17:26)"
David knew who God was and he also knew who he was in the sight of God. Hallelujah!
2) Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego
Daniel's friends Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego refused to bow down to the gold image that the great King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. When the King enquired of them, they replied in an affirmative tone, "We have no need to answer you in this matter! (Daniel 3:16). I wonder how many of us have such a courage and confidence in our Lord when facing a great King. Yet, this young men knew their God very well. They had such Faith in their God that they said bravely to the King, "our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace (Daniel 3:17)."
Faith in God will never let us down. The King became very fierce with these young men and ordered the Fire to be heated up 7 times more. Yet, these young men were delivered by the LORD in a mighty wonder,
- Upon their bodies the fire had no power
- The hair on their head was not singed
- Their garments were not affected and,
- The smell of fire was not on them. (Daniel 3:27)
Dear child of God, how do you see yourself in God's eyes. Do you think that you are worthless and of no use?? Its time to change your views. God cares for you, He has great plans towards you.
3) Daniel
Daniel was one another person whose Faith in God was remarkable. He knew he was significant to God. King Darius signed a law in Medes and Persia that was a conspiracy by Daniel's friends to kill Daniel. The law required to bow down to the statue of the King for thirty days and not any other god. If they did not do so, they will cast into the Den of Lions. Daniel's conspirators caught Daniel violating that law as Daniel as per his daily routine, went to his room, looked to Jerusalem and prayed to Jehovah. They caught Daniel and sealed his fate in the Lion's Den. They went a step further to seal the stone at the entrance of the den of these hungry lions with the signet ring of the King. The King was sorrowful about Daniel. The King undertakes a fast for Daniel. The next day, the King goes near to the Den of Lions and hears Daniel say that the great God Jehovah had sent His Angel and had bound the mouth of the Lions (Daniel 6:10-23).
Isn't this marvelous! Daniel was delivered for one reason, because he believed in God,
Daniel 6:23 So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no injury whatever was found on him, because he believed in his God.
Illustration: I remember one day, I had to go to pray for a woman who was troubling her family by switching on the Gas Stove and trying to burn herself. She also used to pour Kerosene upon herself and try to immolate herself. I was called by this woman's daughter who was Catholic and was touched by our ministry. I went alone to pray for her mother. As I stepped in her home, this woman began to shout fiercely and pounce upon every one in the home and she pushed each person with a force. The whole house was chaotic. The daughters seeing their mother, 5 of them, couldn't hold themselves and were shrieking. The demon addressed me, "Get out from this house. Why have you come here. Go away! Don't come near me."
Instantly, I knew she was referring to the Holy Spirit, the Lord Jesus. The possessed woman ran fiercely towards me to push me down and pounce upon. As she neared me, the invisible hand of our Lord Jesus, the Holy Spirit came to rescue me and bound the demon on the floor. I was untouched! Hallelujah! Later, I took authority in Jesus Name and casted out the spirit. During the deliverance process every detail of the purpose of this demon and those who did witchcraft upon the women was clearly exposed.
God binds the mouth of Lions to save His people who trust in Him. He will do that with you too.
Do you believe that you are Significant to God?? that He loves you and cares for you. Perhaps, you must re-affirm your Faith in Him and look to His Word,
1 Peter 5:7 casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.
Romans 8:32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?
You are loved by God in Christ, no one can separate you from His Love. You are Significantly Significant to Him.
Blessings,
Pastor Sumeet MJ
