Have you ever experienced a time in your life when you were faced with choices, a difficult path, or an unknown future? I can't imagine any one of you who has not been faced with challenges such as these...challenges that make us stop and re-asses our life, wondering where God is and are we really strong enough to let go and trust Him with "everything"?
The truth is, that its hard! It is hard to let go because we know that when we let go it is out of our control and we no longer have access to manipulate and handle it ourselves. However, as much as we want "control" over our lives, our lives are not our own, and belong to one who is much greater than us weak human specimen. Our lives are meant to be offered up to God, for he calls us to "offer your bodies as living sacrifices" (Romans 12:1). We were precisely put here on this globe and given challenges and a future all so that we can give them to God, offering them up as a sacrifice! Elizabeth Elliot so clearly states that "There is no ongoing spiritual life without the process of letting go. At the precise point where we refuse, growth stops (Passion and Purity)."
Therefore, before we even take another step forward in our lives we must stop for a moment and asses what our lives and future are in the eyes of God! Are they things we have freely offered up to Him, or are we tightly clutching onto them, wanting to stay in control? This is the start to an amazing journey, but in order to start out on the right foot, we must first start by learning what it is to live a life of Reckless Abandonment to our Heavenly Father...coming before Him and breaking our "Alabaster Box" at His feet!
What is the "Alabaster Box"? The box is exactly what it sounds like, it is an ornate box made out of Alabaster and usually held as contents expensive and significant perfume (known as Nard). Back in the days when Jesus was on the earth, the box was essentially a young woman's dowry. Depending on how wealthy her family was, her Alabaster box and perfume within would signify her standing in life. Now, a dowry is something a young woman has which she offers up to a man when he makes her an offer of marriage. Thus, when the time was right and she had found a man, she would take the box and break it at his feet, signifying that she was giving her life and or future over to him.
Now, before you get bored from the history lesson just keep on reading because what you read next is so cool!! So.......how does the Alabaster box fit into living a life of Reckless Abandonment? Lets look at a story from the Bible to see what God has in store:
John 14: 3-9 (A Woman Anoints Jesus With Perfume)
"While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head. Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, “Why this waste of perfume? It could have been sold for more than a year’s wages and the money given to the poor.” And they rebuked her harshly. “Leave her alone,” said Jesus. “Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me. She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial. Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”
(Matthew 26:6-13; Luke 12:1-11)
I am sure most of you are familiar with this story as was I when I first started this topic, but it is going to get even more amazing! Most scholars believe that the woman in this story (also known as Mary) was Mary the sister of Lazarus. However, there have also been some speculations that she was the woman who had been caught in adultery in John 8:1-10 (a woman who was a sinner, Like 7:37) and if that were indeed the case then the act of breaking her box is even more significant as it symbolized that she was leaving her life of sin to follow Jesus.....breaking her Alabaster Box at His feet. However, why was the act of breaking an expensive box full of sacred perfume so special? The box was a young woman's dowry and thus significantly held all her dreams as that box was her future. Yet, this woman chose to break the box at her Heavenly Bridegroom's feet, giving him her life and her future! Jackie Kendall, author of The New Lady In Waiting states that "Yes, she was a sinner, but this sinner had dreams and wisely broke her alabaster box in the presence of the only One who can make a woman's dreams come true (p.21)."
Therefore, the question now is this...."What is in your Alabaster Box (p.21)." Is it full of dreams for the futures such as your schooling, career, or probably for all of us who we will marry! I know that is what my box was full of and trust me when I say holding onto your box is so much harder than breaking it at Jesus feet! Do you want to live a life of free and total surrender and abandonment go God? Do you want Him to be the keeper and writer of your future story? It isn't easy at first but trust me that God is enough and worthy of our trust in His plans!!
STOP what you are doing right now, pick up your box and break it at Jesus feet....he is worthy of such an act and honor. When you tightly clutch your box you feel uncertain and hold onto the "what ifs" of life, but when you break your box full of all your hopes and dreams at Jesus feet (the one who planted those hopes and dreams in your heart) you have the confidant assurance that whatever is God's will, will happen in his time (including finding your earthly bridegroom).
However, you might be wondering "how do I know when I have broken my box at Jesus feet?" Well, you know you have broken your box when your decisions and life reflect in your heart. How do you respond when things don't go your way (but God's way)? How do you respond when you see everyone around you with a boyfriend or everyone is getting engaged and married? Does your attitude reflect that of resentment towards God or are you confident God has your future in His hands! When we are faced with trying situations, our response should be that of Mary, who when the angel came before her and told of all that would happen she confidently responded "I belong to the Lord, body and soul...let it happen as you say(Luke 1:38)."
We have no power over what happens on this earth and even what happens in our own lives for that matter, so instead of trying to control our future, choose to instead surrender your "body, soul, and dreams,...entrust[ing] them to Jesus" who in him can make all your dreams come true!Choose right now to take the stand and life a life of Reckless Abandonment (NLIW, p. 22)! It will not be easy, but "with God all things are possible."
Have you Broken you box?
Are you living a life of Reckless Abandonment?
This post today was partially inspired by Chapter 1 in the book The New Lady In Waiting by Jackie Kendall.
Next Week: The Story of Ruth....Examples From a Life of Reckless Abandonment.
Post a Comment