Archive for March 2026
The Anointing at Bethany
Scripture: “She has done a beautiful thing to Me.” — Mark 14:6
In the small village of Bethany, just days before His crucifixion, Jesus received an unexpected gift.
A woman entered the room carrying an alabaster jar of costly perfume. Without hesitation, she broke it open and poured it over Him. The fragrance filled the house. It was extravagant, emotional, and deeply personal.
Some who witnessed the moment were quick to criticize her and Jesus. They calculated the cost, questioned her judgment, and labeled her act as wasteful.
Contrary to what others saw, Jesus saw something entirely different and called it beautiful.
In a world that often measures worth by productivity and efficiency, this story invites us to consider the value of devotion. The woman in Bethany was not trying to impress anyone. She was responding to love with love.
Her offering reminds us that worship is not always tidy. It is not always logical. Sometimes it looks like tears, sacrifice, and surrender poured out in faith.
Perhaps you have wondered whether your acts of faith matter. The prayer whispered in the car. The kindness extended when no one is watching. The generosity given from a place of trust rather than abundance.
Holy Week assures us that Jesus notices.
He receives what we offer Him with tenderness. Even when others misunderstand. Even when our obedience feels small.
The fragrance of devotion lingers longer than we realize. It touches hearts. It prepares the way. It becomes part of God’s unfolding story.
Today, consider what “alabaster jar” you might be holding. Is there something God is prompting you to release? A fear? A resource? A dream? A moment of gratitude you have been hesitant to express?
True worship often begins where control ends.
Prayer: Jesus, help me love You without reservation. Teach me to offer my life freely, trusting that nothing given to You is ever wasted. Amen.
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When Jesus Set His Face Toward Jerusalem
Scripture: “As the time approached for Him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem.” — Luke 9:51
There are moments in life when we know what lies ahead will be difficult. It is a feeling in our spirit before it ever happens, a conversation we have with ourselves. No one has to tell us that the path is going to be tough. Somehow, we resolve ourselves to do it, despite the fact that we wish we could turn another direction.
I remember when my sister was diagnosed with a fatal brain tumor. The odds were stacked against us, and the road ahead looked very bleak, but we charged ahead, ready to take on the storm.
Jesus experienced this very reality.
Luke tells us that as the time approached for His suffering, death, and ultimate victory, Jesus “set His face” toward Jerusalem. This phrase suggests determination. Resolve. Purpose. He was not drifting into Holy Week. He was walking toward it with full awareness.
Because He already understood the bigger picture, Jesus knew betrayal, pain, and the cross were coming. He knew everything in front of Him had to happen to accomplish God’s plan.
So often, we think obedience should feel easy. We assume that if God is leading us somewhere, the road will be smooth and the outcome comfortable. Yet Scripture shows us again and again that God’s greatest work often unfolds in seasons of uncertainty and surrender.
Jesus teaches us that courage is not the absence of fear. Courage is choosing faith even when the future feels heavy.
My sister’s profession was nursing. Her diagnosis was something she fully understood. I still remember her courage as I type this devotion – the radiation, the chemo, the surgery, the belief in God’s ultimate plan.
Maybe you are facing something today that you did not choose: a loss, a diagnosis, a strained relationship or a responsibility that feels overwhelming. You may wish you could avoid it. You may wonder why this path is yours.
Holy Week reminds us that God is not absent in hard roads. He is often most present there.
Jesus walked toward Jerusalem not because He loved suffering, but because He loved us. He trusted the Father’s plan more than His own comfort. And because He did, redemption became possible.
What would it look like for you to “set your face” toward the place God is calling you? What step of obedience might He be asking you to take today?
My sister received her victory when she crossed the finish line in Heaven. She crossed the finish line in Heaven because she believed in the One who sacrificed it all for us.
Prayer: Lord, give me the strength to trust You when the road ahead feels uncertain. Help me walk in obedience, knowing that You are with me every step of the way. Amen.
notesbynora 