Daily Meditations for Holy Week:

Day 2—Releasing the Atmosphere of Heaven
Monday
 

John 12
The Anointing at Bethany

     Then, six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was who had been dead, whom He had raised from the dead. There they made Him a supper; and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with Him. Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil. But one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, who would betray Him, said, “Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?”  This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it. But Jesus said, “Let her alone; she has kept this for the day of My burial. For the poor you have with you always, but Me you do not have always.” Now a great many of the Jews knew that He was there; and they came, not for Jesus’ sake only, but that they might also see Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead. But the chief priests plotted to put Lazarus to death also, because on account of him many of the Jews went away and believed in Jesus.

 
Kings are anointed with precious oil. When we recognize Jesus as our King no sacrifice is too great to pay for His sake. We pour ourselves out upon the feet of His presence on earth and pray that through us the whole earth might be filled with the fragrance of Him in every place.
 
The eternal weight of glory is gained by patient endurance in the face of opposition and humiliation. We move from earth to heaven created by God on the second day. The ultimate triumph of the cross is the free gift of eternal life to all who believe. Our Bridegroom from heaven is soon to be revealed. We are preparing ourselves to meet Him.
 
We pray, “Father of Lights, send down your gifts and clothe us with your grace that we may be called the sons and daughters of God. We offer ourselves upon your altar and look forward to the day of our adoption in the resurrection. Today send forth the spikenard of the King from our hearts purified in your fire.” Amen.
 

Our second meditation is from Psalm 72:

 
    A Psalm of Solomon
 
    1 Give the king Your judgments, O God,
    And Your righteousness to the king’s Son.
    2 He will judge Your people with righteousness,
    And Your poor with justice.
    3 The mountains will bring peace to the people,
    And the little hills, by righteousness.
    4 He will bring justice to the poor of the people; He will save the children of the needy,
    And will break in pieces the oppressor.
    5 They shall fear You
    As long as the sun and moon endure,
    Throughout all generations.
    6 He shall come down like rain upon the grass before mowing, Like showers that water the earth.
    7 In His days the righteous shall flourish,
    And abundance of peace,
    Until the moon is no more.
    8 He shall have dominion also from sea to sea,
    And from the River to the ends of the earth.
    9 Those who dwell in the wilderness will bow before Him,
    And His enemies will lick the dust.
    10 The kings of Tarshish and of the isles
    Will bring presents;
    The kings of Sheba and Seba
    Will offer gifts.
    11 Yes, all kings shall fall down before Him;
    All nations shall serve Him.
    12 For He will deliver the needy when he cries,
    The poor also, and him who has no helper.
    13 He will spare the poor and needy,
    And will save the souls of the needy.
    14 He will redeem their life from oppression and violence;
    And precious shall be their blood in His sight.
    15 And He shall live;
    And the gold of Sheba will be given to Him;
    Prayer also will be made for Him continually,
    And daily He shall be praised.
    16 There will be an abundance of grain in the earth,
    On the top of the mountains;
    Its fruit shall wave like Lebanon;
    And those of the city shall flourish like grass of the earth.
    17 His name shall endure forever;
    His name shall continue as long as the sun.
    And men shall be blessed in Him;
    All nations shall call Him blessed.
    18 Blessed be the LORD God, the God of Israel,
    Who only does wondrous things!
    19 And blessed be His glorious name forever!
    And let the whole earth be filled with His glory.
    Amen and Amen.

From our family to yours, may the blessings of Easter surround you this season. HE IS RISEN!

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