Mon.’s Devo - The Cost

Read: 1 Samuel 29:1-31:13; John 11:54-12:19; Psalm 118:1-18; Proverbs 15:24-26
Aphek, one of the king of the Philistines was good with taking David to war against Israel but the other kings had misgivings. They were afraid that David would change his mind and fight against them for Israel. So, Aphek had to send David home. It was a good thing because in the time that he was gone, the Amelekites had raided Ziklag and burned the city and taken all their wives and children.
David’s men were ready to stone David, but he turned to the Lord and found strength. He called for the priest and had him ask God if they would be successful if they pursued the Amelekites and God said, yes.
They found a wounded Egyptian in a field and he was able to lead them to the Amelekites where they recovered everything that had been stolen from them and more. They got the spoils of war from the Philistines and from Judah, their own people.
There was another good reason why God didn’t want David in that battle fighting against Saul. He didn’t want anyone to say that David killed Saul. Saul died on that day along with his sons just as Samuel had prophesied.
In John, it was getting close to Jesus last Passover and he knew his time was short. Six days before Passover, Mary anointed Jesus feet with expensive perfume that she had saved probably for her future husband. Jesus meant more to Mary than any human ever would. She poured it on his feet and wiped it with her hair. Judas Iscariot was outraged that she didn’t sell the perfume and give it to the poor since he was in charge of the money. Judas loved money more than God which cost him eternity.
Little did Mary know, she was anointing Jesus’ body for burial.
Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey fulfilling Psalm 118:25-26 and the crowd proclaimed Zechariah 9:9. This was the same crowd that had been with Jesus when he raised Lazareth from the grave. All of this was making the Pharisees more and more nervous.
We have no idea why we do the things we do when we walk in the Spirit but everything has meaning and purpose with God.
Lord, help us to pour out our lives for you as Mary poured out her costly perfume.