A Sacrifice of Worship

This morning I read this:

While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of a man known as 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. I tell you the truth, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her."
Mark 14:3-9

This passage hit me in a new way this morning.

Have you ever been rebuked harshly for your sacrifice of worship? I have. I'm not saying I am pure and holy and this amazing worshiper as this woman was, but it is a difficult thing to worship publicly in this way.  I was thinking about how the room they were in was filled with people. People who don't understand why you brought in your most expensive perfume and are now pouring it on Jesus. Isn't this supposed to be a private, intimate thing, and yet it is in the presence of all these people? But really, Jesus was in the room. I mean, Jesus was there and she was so intent on showing him how much she loved him that she didn't even care. She pushed those other things aside because her King, her Lord was there. He was the one who redeemed her and showed her truth in the midst of all her lies. She didn't care.

And she was rebuked harshly because of it.

But I think it was because they didn't understand. But Jesus understood. I imagine others in the room understood but didn't speak up. Jesus said that she has done a beautiful thing for him.

I want to worship in this way. Yes, I may be misunderstood. I pray that I would be pleasing to the Lord, that my heart would be pure in what I do.

Please help me Jesus. I want to give a sacrifice of worship that is holy and pleasing to the Lord. I want to give You everything that I have and hold nothing back. Why hold anything back?

Whom have I in heaven but You? The earth has nothing I desire besides You.
My heart and flesh may fail, but God is the strength of my life and my portion forever.
Psalm 73:25-26