The Sweetest Fragrance

 

"My sacrifice, acceptable to God is a broken spirit;
a broken and a contrite heart, broken down with sorrow
for sin and humbly penitent, such, O God,
You will not despise."
Psalm 51:17

"For She Loved Much"

Simon Dewey

Six days before the Passover Feast, Jesus came to Bethany,
where Lazarus was, who had died and whom He had raised from the dead.
So they made Him a supper; and Martha served, but Lazarus was one
of those at the table with Him.

Mary took a pound of  pure liquid spikenard, a rare perfume that
 was very expensive, and she poured it on Jesus' feet and wiped them
with her hair.  And the whole house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.

But Judas Iscariot, one of His disciples who was about to betray Him said:
"Why was this perfume not sold for 300 denari, (a year's worth of wages for
the ordinary workman) and that money given to the poor?"

Now he did not say this because he cared for the poor but because
 he was a thief; and having the money box, the purse of the Twelve,
he took for himself what was put into it, pilfering the collections.

But Jesus said, "Let her alone. It was intended that she should keep it
for the time of My preparation for burial.  You always have the poor
with you, but you do not always have Me."
John 12:1-8

Blest are the pure in heart,
For they shall see our God;
The secret of the Lord is theirs;
Their soul is Christ's abode.

The Lord, who left the heavens
Our life and peace to bring,
To dwell in lowliness with men
Their pattern and their king.

Still to the lowly soul
He doth Himself impart,
And for His cradle and His throne
Chooseth the pure in heart.

Lord, we Thy presence seek,
May ours this blessing be:
O give the pure and lowly heart,
A temple meet for Thee!
Amen

"Blest Are The Pure In Heart"
(1819)
John Keble
(1792-1866)
Anglican clergyman, poet,
and hymn writer