I used to hate when girls had purity rings. I thought it was so cheesy and almost "in your face". Well let me tell you I was at People's the second I had some extra cash. I now have a full fledged purity ring with the date May 7, 2012 engraved on one side, and the word His on the other. I wear it on my ring finger and I am so excited by the cheesiness of it. It is a constant reminder of God's mad pursuit for my heart and His victory over my past.
When God made me new, it wasn't just a physical purity I felt. It was a renewing of my mind, and my spirit. Slowly the desires of the flesh passed away and God gave me new desires. One desire. For more of Jesus.
One day I drove my car to this special little field I like to go to for prayer time and while worshiping I felt His presence all of the sudden. I was laughing and crying and then closing my eyes feeling an intimacy with the Lord I had never felt before. He really pursued my new heart. He whispered to my heart and romanced me in a way no person ever will. I began to realize that my deepest desires for intimacy and romance were made for a reason. They were made to be satisfied. They were made to lead me into a deep and unbreakable love story with the same God that created flowers and stars and mountains. This relationship became my one and only passion. It started burning in my heart. I still have days of forgetting Him, and His grace covers me, but once He lit the fire, He was faithful to fan the flame.
When Jesus went to the home of Mary and Martha in the Bible after raising their brother Lazarus from the dead, there was a difference between the two women. Martha was busy, and all caught up in cooking and making her house look presentable for the celebration. The worries of this world will choke the kingdom of God out of your heart. Mary sat at Jesus' feet and worshiped Him for all His mighty works in her life. Jesus said to them,"Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her". Finding this awe and love for Jesus is the only good thing. It is something we long for, and once we find it, nothing can take it away.
Another part of this story that does not get told as often is the role of Judas. Judas is so annoyed with Mary. Mary pours a perfume worth as much as a yearly salary onto Jesus' feet and she dries His feet with her hair. Mary has blocked out everything around her expect for Jesus. She knows how valuable the perfume is, and that is why she uses it for Him. But Judas is so bitter. He says "Don't you all see how much this perfume is worth! What a waste. We could have at least sold it for the poor". Jesus knew Judas and his heart. Judas was a thief. He wanted the money for himself which made Jesus so angry. He said "Leave her alone Judas, Mary is the only one here who really gets this! I am the most valuable thing. I am the only thing that matters, the only thing that won't be taken away".
Judas caused many problems, but in this story he was intruding on an intimate moment of worship Mary was having with Jesus. Because Jesus has this intense love and jealousy for us, when something in our life tries to snatch it, or even tries to make it less intense, Jesus is outraged.
Don't let anything or anyone diminish the love and awe you have for Jesus Christ. If you realize that He is the only important thing, the only lasting One, let no one take that away. I would even go as far as to say, if someone is making you less affectionate for Jesus, and making you feel ashamed for your passion and worship, leave them behind! Jesus tells Mary, I am the absolute only thing you can take with you. Moments like this of deep love and mystery with Me are the moments that matter.
Don't hate people that don't understand, or don't have the same love for God, of course not. But steer clear of anything that even attempts to put out the Fire in your heart.
Your purity is worth more than the expensive perfume Mary poured onto Jesus' feet and onto the ground. It has endless worth to the God who created you with pure and good and righteous plans in mind. In fact it is worth so much to Your True Love that when someone like Judas tries to turn you away from it, Jesus is angry.
If you don't love Jesus as much as you want to, if you don't feel awe and wonder for Him yet, pray He will awaken your heart to who He is. Once you know Him, you will love Him. In the mean time, don't be a Judas to anyone else. Never try and diminish the love and passion someone else has for Christ! It says in the Bible that this is the only thing that cannot be stolen from us.
When Mary watched Jesus die on the cross soon after this story, I don't think she lost hope. She was probably overcome by sadness and confusion, but the moments she shared at Jesus' feet, just loving Him and seeing who He was, those moments went with her. And I think even watching Him die on the cross would not have stolen the depth of that love from her. If His death couldn't take it away, then no one in this world can either.
Guard your heart and especially your purity. If it is lost, come to the One who makes all things new. Once you are new, you will be a target for people like Judas. Be aware. Be on guard. Stay kneeling at the feet of your Savior even if everyone around you is telling you to move. Because this Portion, is the One good thing. It will not be taken away from you.
Martina Sobey
When Jesus went to the home of Mary and Martha in the Bible after raising their brother Lazarus from the dead, there was a difference between the two women. Martha was busy, and all caught up in cooking and making her house look presentable for the celebration. The worries of this world will choke the kingdom of God out of your heart. Mary sat at Jesus' feet and worshiped Him for all His mighty works in her life. Jesus said to them,"Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her". Finding this awe and love for Jesus is the only good thing. It is something we long for, and once we find it, nothing can take it away.
Another part of this story that does not get told as often is the role of Judas. Judas is so annoyed with Mary. Mary pours a perfume worth as much as a yearly salary onto Jesus' feet and she dries His feet with her hair. Mary has blocked out everything around her expect for Jesus. She knows how valuable the perfume is, and that is why she uses it for Him. But Judas is so bitter. He says "Don't you all see how much this perfume is worth! What a waste. We could have at least sold it for the poor". Jesus knew Judas and his heart. Judas was a thief. He wanted the money for himself which made Jesus so angry. He said "Leave her alone Judas, Mary is the only one here who really gets this! I am the most valuable thing. I am the only thing that matters, the only thing that won't be taken away".
Judas caused many problems, but in this story he was intruding on an intimate moment of worship Mary was having with Jesus. Because Jesus has this intense love and jealousy for us, when something in our life tries to snatch it, or even tries to make it less intense, Jesus is outraged.
Don't let anything or anyone diminish the love and awe you have for Jesus Christ. If you realize that He is the only important thing, the only lasting One, let no one take that away. I would even go as far as to say, if someone is making you less affectionate for Jesus, and making you feel ashamed for your passion and worship, leave them behind! Jesus tells Mary, I am the absolute only thing you can take with you. Moments like this of deep love and mystery with Me are the moments that matter.
Don't hate people that don't understand, or don't have the same love for God, of course not. But steer clear of anything that even attempts to put out the Fire in your heart.
Your purity is worth more than the expensive perfume Mary poured onto Jesus' feet and onto the ground. It has endless worth to the God who created you with pure and good and righteous plans in mind. In fact it is worth so much to Your True Love that when someone like Judas tries to turn you away from it, Jesus is angry.
If you don't love Jesus as much as you want to, if you don't feel awe and wonder for Him yet, pray He will awaken your heart to who He is. Once you know Him, you will love Him. In the mean time, don't be a Judas to anyone else. Never try and diminish the love and passion someone else has for Christ! It says in the Bible that this is the only thing that cannot be stolen from us.
When Mary watched Jesus die on the cross soon after this story, I don't think she lost hope. She was probably overcome by sadness and confusion, but the moments she shared at Jesus' feet, just loving Him and seeing who He was, those moments went with her. And I think even watching Him die on the cross would not have stolen the depth of that love from her. If His death couldn't take it away, then no one in this world can either.
Guard your heart and especially your purity. If it is lost, come to the One who makes all things new. Once you are new, you will be a target for people like Judas. Be aware. Be on guard. Stay kneeling at the feet of your Savior even if everyone around you is telling you to move. Because this Portion, is the One good thing. It will not be taken away from you.
Martina Sobey
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