alabaster jar

While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table. When the disciples saw this, they were indignant. “Why this waste?” they asked. “This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor." Aware of this, Jesus said to them, “Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you,but you will not always have me. When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial. Truly I tell you, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”

- Matthew 26:6-13

from my knowledge, an alabaster jar is what holds things you offer up to the Lord. like in the story in Matthew, the woman offered her perfume; in that day in age, her perfume would have been worth a lot, almost priceless. that was the only thing the woman had that was worth something that she could give to Jesus. my mom has one in her bathroom and she once told me that it holds her tears. at the time, i thought she literally cried into the small, clay jar. but i know now that she offers up her tears to the Lord. i always thought it was cool and wanted to get one. i had forgotten about that small jar until now.

my friend Leighton inspired me for this post. she has a small jar, similar to an alabaster jar, above her bed. in this jar, she puts things in it that are on her heart. she writes them down, dates them, and waits patiently as the Lord works through them. this is one of the coolest things i've ever heard. what a symbolic way to offer things up to the Lord, almost in the same way they did 2,000 years ago?! i love this. i am going to get myself my own alabaster jar and place in it the things that i worry about, the things the Lord puts on my heart, the things that consume my mind and thoughts. and i will wait patiently for the Lord to answer them.

leighton and mom, thanks for the inspiration and for challenging me spiritually

each and every day.

i am so blessed!