Doing What's Right

TITLE: Doing What’s Right
DATE: April 5, 2019
TEXT: Matthew 26:10-13  - ESV - 10 But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a beautiful thing to me. 11 For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me. 12 In pouring this ointment on my body, she has done it to prepare me for burial. Truly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her.”

More than once Jesus told His followers that it is right for us to do that which glorifies Him.  

We certainly don't want to be like the husband who refused to open the car door for his wife, or for any other lady. "After all", he reasoned, it is sort of a sissy thing to do." Besides," as he often respeated to those around him, "My wife has two perfectly good arms."

That kind of unappreciative attitude spilled over to many areas of his marriage and common courtesies became quite uncommon.
That's the way things were until the wife eventually died, and the heartbroken husband came to a realization of just how much he loved her.
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On the day of the funeral, the pallbearers carried her casket to the car. In a minor mix-up, the husband and his children reached the hearse first. The funeral director, a few feet behind, avoided a minor bottleneck, by whispering to the husband, "John, open the car door for her, won't you?"

The husband reached for the door handle and then, he stopped. The husband sobbed as he realized that this would be the first, and last time, he would perform this small gesture for the lady he loved.

That sad story makes me mindful of all of the times I could have done something to praise my Savior, and chose not to.

Unlike the unforgotten woman who came to Jesus with perfume, tears and a repentant heart; I often come with an expectation that He has to be good to me, has to help me, has to save me.

Too often I take His great sacrifice for granted.

Too often I have been half-hearted in my hymn singing, pretending to pay attention in my prayers, and been less than sacrificial in my service to Him.

That should change. Not because I want to be remembered as long as the Gospel is preached, but because the Savior Who fulfilled the law for me, suffered for me, died and rose for me, deserves it.

It should change because the Savior, not I, should be re-membered.for what He has done.

THE PRAYER:  Dear Lord Jesus, forgive the many times I have given You the leftovers of my life and loyalty. Allow me to see and appreciate Your sacrifice and give it the honor it deserves. In Your Name. I pray it. Amen.

The music which introduces and concludes our devotions was written by Guy Baumann. He along three of his brothers perform on the album: The Baumann Brothers which may be ordered here: http://thebaumannbrothers.com/index.html