Wednesday (Matthew 26v6-13)
Jesus was again at Bethany, at the house of Simon, called the leper. He had probably been healed by Jesus and the name had stuck even after healing. If he still had leprosy, he would be living in a community outside the village/town as a quarantine measure, not in his own house. As the meal was in progress a woman came and poured a flask of expensive oil over Jesus. There was a mixed reaction, embarrassment, jealousy, indignation at the perceived waste, and general incredulity.
Jesus commends the woman for her extravagant gift, essentially an act of worship and calls the anointing a preparation for the ordeal he is soon to undergo. Jesus promises that whenever this story is recounted, her act of worship would be remembered, and here we are doing so. Sometimes Christians do odd things when worshipping God. Taking shoes off, raising hands, singing in an unknown language, prostrating themselves on the floor, kneeling and if we are not used to this, we might react like the people in this story. God looks on our hearts and is OK with us being a bit odd at times!
Selah: If Jesus was with us today in the flesh, what gift would you like to give him?