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NO ROOM FOR LOVE OR LAZARUS…THE ANOINTING OF JESUS John 12: 1-11 In these Scriptures, we find Jesus at Bethany having supper at the home of Lazarus and his sisters. In the preceding chapter, Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. He was dead in the tomb for four days. The stench of death would be horrendous. Even his sister, Martha, told Jesus that Lazarus "stinketh." But when Jesus commanded Lazarus to, "Come forth," he immediately obeyed and came out of death into life. Lazarus had been in an enclosed room of darkness and death—then came the living Christ. Now Lazarus walked from death to life—a life dead to sin; a life raised up by the glory of God! Alive unto God in Christ Jesus! Immediately, the room is enlarged; no longer a damp cold tomb, stinking with the stench of decay, but now a lush, green pasture of freshness and abandonment! What a time of fellowship there was at this supper, for the odor of life everlasting filled the house! Here sat Lazarus, with the fragrance of the redeeming blood of Jesus. Then came Mary, bringing a rare and costly ointment and she anointed the feet of Jesus. Again, the scent of an abandoned life, giving all to our Lord and Savior. Odor of ointment! Ah! Sweet, beautiful scent of the living Christ. How I long for this sweet scent! When you come to Him and surrender your hold on life, His pure and holy presence permeates your whole being. The fragrance of a delivered life! The fragrance of a resurrected life! The fragrance of triumphant joy! Probably at Christmas, more than any other time of the year, there are so many scents. You have the scent of the evergreen tree, cinnamon sticks, the smell of freshly baked cookies, and turkey or ham dinners. And the list goes on. These are all wonderful odors, but the only odor that truly matters is that of salvation and a yielded life—a life raised from the dead by the mighty power of God and for His glory, giving yourself up in absolute surrender. Having nothing of the smell of death clinging to you, but the fragrance of the redeemed life, uplifted from the depths of sin by the blood of Jesus! But who will receive it—really receive it? Following the resurrection of Lazarus, many who claimed to love God, wouldn't, because that miracle revealed that He was God, and therefore has the right to rule their lives. Verse 10 even makes clear that they were angry at Lazarus, and even wanted him dead—again! Who will make room for Love and Lazarus, and, thereby, praise His Holy Name? Dear Heavenly Lord, how I no longer want to carry around the scent of death and decay from a dirty and dying world. My whole being yearns for your perfume of faith, hope, trust, and devotion—no more being devoted to a cause or a service, but devoted to the person, my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Take my life and let it be wholly Thine. May I respond to your voice today, sweet Jesus. Amen. "Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else." (Isaiah 45:22) ~ Judy Hollobaugh
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