John 12:1-11

Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. There they gave a dinner for him. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those reclining with him. Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus’s feet, and wiped them with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was about to betray him), said, “Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?” (He said this not because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; he kept the common purse and used to steal what was put into it.) Jesus said, “Leave her alone. She bought it so that she might keep it for the day of my burial. You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.”

When the great crowd of the Jews learned that he was there, they came not only because of Jesus but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. So the chief priests planned to put Lazarus to death as well, since it was on account of him that many of the Jews were deserting and were believing in Jesus.

 

Today's Reflective Questions

• How will you begin to prioritize that commitment in the coming days and weeks?
• What additional spiritual practice(s) (scripture, silence, sabbath, prayer, fasting) might you experiment with as you seek to live this new commitment?
• What specific commitment do you hear God inviting you to make in response to this text?

Today's Devotional

This Week's Lenten Focus: Commitment

This Lenten season, Bishop David Wilson, along with some conference staff and members of the laity, are inviting the people of the Great Plains Conference and beyond to “Pay Attention to God’s Voice” during this season of Lent. The theme for this week is Commitment.

Commitment, at its core, is about being dedicated to a cause or an activity, about setting an intention to do something. To be committed to something does not mean we will be perfect, it does not mean it will always be easy, but to be committed is to state our intention to make something a priority and to continue growing in our pursuit of that thing. As we grow in love of God and neighbor, we are invited to increasingly live lives of commitment. We commit to grow in love of God. We commit to grow in love of neighbor. We commit to spiritual practices that form us in Christ’s likeness. We commit to receiving God’s forgiveness when we make mistakes. We commit to extending grace to others when they let us down. We commit to joining with Jesus in praying that God’s will is done, on earth as it is in heaven. In all of this, the spiritual practice of commitment allows us to listen more attentively for and to hear God’s invitations in our lives.

Rev. Jeff Clinger
jclinger@greatplainsumc.org
 

• Watch a video featuring Hannah and the Rev. Jeff Clinger, Patrick and Itzel Woods talking about commitment
• Watch a video featuring Bishop David Wilson inviting you to observe a Holy Lent
• To learn more, check out this special page on our website dedicated to our Lenten topics.

Invitation to Go Deeper

Before you move on with the rest of your day, sit in silence for 1-2 minutes (at least) and ask God to give you clarity regarding, and to strengthen you for, the commitments you sense God calling you to make.

Prayer for Reflection

Isaiah 42:1-9
Psalm 36:5-11
Hebrews 9:11-15