My Alabaster Jar

I don’t want to find myself at the end, standing on the bank of the Jordan holding my alabaster jar. 

This morning, as I began to meet with the Lord, I thought about what Amy Carmichael said about the alabaster jar. I read it a couple of days ago, and it has lingered in my mind, “[There are] some among us who love their Savior and yet have not broken [their alabaster jar] (John 12:3).” We see Mary taking the most precious thing she has, the greatest treasure she possesses, and she breaks it and pours it out onto the feet of Christ. She holds nothing back from her Savior, and when she pours everything she has out onto His feet, “the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.”

Over the last couple days, I’ve been pondering what I might be holding back from the Lord. What treasure might I be keeping for myself? What is my alabaster jar? And the answer that came to me is, “My time.” Time is my most precious commodity, for every second of my day is filled to the brim with need and necessity. Time is something that I literally have no excess of to spare. Time is a treasure to me, it is my alabaster jar that I keep tucked away for myself to indulge in stolen moments as I please, rather than pouring them out upon the feet of my Lord. 

In writing one of my recent devotionals, I spoke of the necessity for us to leave the banks of the Jordan and step into the waters of experience, because at some point, our faith must transcend the realm of “notion” and enter the realm of “actuality. As I prayed this morning, I told the Lord that I did not want to be found at the end of my life standing on the banks of the Jordan, clutching my alabaster jar. 

I want to be found in the deep waters, with my jar broken and the perfume spilled out all over His feet. 

(John 12:2,3)  …Martha served, and Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with Him. Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.

(Song of Sol 1:3,12)  The fragrance of your perfume is pleasing; your name is like perfume poured out… While the king was at his table, my perfume spread its fragrance.

(Matt 22:36,37) “Teacher, which commandment is the greatest in the Law?” Jesus declared, “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment.”

(Prov 9:16-18) “Let all who are simple come to my house!” To those who have no sense she says, “Stolen water is sweet; food eaten in secret is delicious!” But little do they know that the dead are there, that her guests are deep in the realm of the dead.