Monday, May 24, 2010

Break the Box

Mark 14:3

And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head.


Break the Box

This is a familiar passage to most believers. The story recorded about the woman, Mary, who came in with her alabaster box filled with spiced oil and annointed Jesus while he ate with Simon the Leper and others. She was chided by those assembled both for her outpouring of emotion and for 'wasting' such expensive oil.

There are so many lessons in this story; her passion for Jesus, the callousness of the men who looked down on what she did, her submission to the Holy Spirit to annoint Jesus for His death, how her presence changed the atmosphere in the room and also the relationship with everyone present. It's a rich, deep lesson.

Today, though, can we take a look at the box? Alabaster is a translucent stone. It looks like thin milk or cloudy ice. You can see light through it, but you can't always see what the actual contents are without opening the box. When Egyptians mummified pharoahs and other royalty, their organs were often placed in alabaster containers. It is a precious stone...not as rare as a diamond, but not plentiful either. It takes a master craftsman to work alabaster as it has a tendency to shatter when handled improperly...reminde you of anything?

We are like alabaster boxes. Each of us is precious. People can look at us and sometimes see that there is more to us, but unless we open up to another person, they can't really know what's inside. And when we find ourselves in the hands of someone who is not skilled at handling our fragile feelings and vunerabilities, our traits that make us precious and unique, we can shatter.

But, in the hands of the Master...

Like the box in this story, dear one, we have to know who to open to. When we open ourselves to serve Jesus, we have more value than when we remain cold, closed off. Those gifts within us cannot be fully or properly used until they come in contact with our Savior. Then, even in brokeness, we change the atmosphere around us...we serve a purpose that may have an impact so far beyond anything that we can see or imagine. We come into a fullness, a completeness that cannot be met any other way.

Maybe you feel like you've already been shattered. That you've wasted your life and have nothing to give. Even that doesn't stop the Master. In His hands, He will make you new again another...not repaired, but new.

Maybe you just don't see the value of pouring yourself out to the Lord. Maybe you feel your service is better suited in another direction and that it is more appropriate for you to do another action than to yeild yourself, helpless before the Lord. Then I remind you that there is a way that seems right to man...

Break open the box. Pour yourself out to Him. Trust in the Lord. I dare you.

Jeremiah 18:1-6
The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying,

Arise, and go down to the potter's house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words.

Then I went down to the potter's house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels.

And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.

Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the LORD. Behold, as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel.


Peace.

Sis. Stephanie Robinson

Lifeline is the evangelistic ministry of Fellowship Church in Jonesboro, GA.
The church website is www.fcchosengeneration.com.

Previous Lifeline mailings are posted on this blog and can also be reached through the church website on the Lifeline link.

Feel free to share this message. For questions or to subscribe, send an email to fellowship_lifeline@yahoo.com. You can reach the church at chosen.gen@att.net.

Fellowship Church
Where Passions Become Reality
Because you are a CHOSEN GENERATION!

455 Hwy 138, Ste C
Jonesboro, GA 30238
Alton Watkins, Pastor