Heart of the Canyons Church
Week of Hope Devotional || Wednesday
Locations & Times
Heart of the Canyons Church
24551 Valley St, Santa Clarita, CA 91321, USA
Wednesday 12:00 AM
Heart of the Canyons Church
Tuesday 12:00 AM
Watch Today's Devotional
https://youtu.be/uEjmpRLxceIWritten By: Joan Bruyninckx
Heart of the Canyons || Canyon Country Campus
In Matt. 26:1-16. Jesus pointedly tells His disciples about His impending, horrific death. There’s a secret plot to arrest and execute Him. A gathering in the home of a former leper followed by the beginning of betrayal. As I read this portion of Scripture, I zoned in on one thing.
The woman who pours the expensive oil over Jesus’ head.
Before I became a Christian, I had all these preconceived ideas about how churches just want your money. Maybe I’d even hear an account like this and conclude that it’s a scheme to guilt people into thinking you have to pay and give to pacify God. But let me be clear. She doesn’t do this as an act of earning Jesus’ favor. The fact is, we cannot EARN favor, mercy, grace, or forgiveness! Even her expensive oil, which is an entire year’s salary, wouldn’t even be enough to earn our way into right standing with God. And yet, she gives it. Pours it. Douses Him with the fragrant oil. Jesus doesn’t chastise her for her act. It’s quite the opposite. We can read about her loving, sacrificial, ornate demonstration today because it is preserved in Scripture.
Contrast Jesus’ response to the feign of reproach by the disciples. Voicing their disapproval, “What a waste! This could have been used for the poor,” they gripe. After all, it was worth year’s salary, for crying out loud! In Santa Clarita, the median income as reported in 2019 was just over $99k. That amount certainly could have fed the 4,000 as recorded in Matthew 15. Imagine ordering a $20 platter for each person at Rattler’s BBQ and having money for tip. The disciples, like me, have a hard time seeing the big picture. They get hung up on the tangible, the right-in-front-of-them, the here and now. The sad truth is that perhaps they are not so very concerned with the poor. Maybe they’re so very concerned with their own benefits of nuzzling close to Jesus.
And Judas…Judas leaves and seeks monetary gain for betraying Jesus. He accepts the measly price of thirty pieces of silver. That’s about $200-$300 today. If you’re a kid, you might think that’s a lot. But if you do the budgeting…you know that won’t last you too long.
Believer, what are you holding back? Is there something you have that your heart would just as soon lavish on our Lord? Not that He needs it. Or maybe you’re not holding something back, per se. Maybe you’re allowing something to come before Him. And if you’re like me, it’s not bringing you joy. Or satisfaction. Or anything you hope it would. Because it can’t. Do I act like Judas when I’m settling for so much less? When the reality is that I can have fullness of joy, and forgiveness and abundant hope?
Maybe you haven’t yet trusted Jesus. Maybe you’re having an internal battle. Like me, making excuses for why it’s a sham. But there’s that still, small voice saying, “Come.” This week is all about setting our sights on the cross. And we can come. And know forgiveness, joy, and hope.
Heart of the Canyons || Canyon Country Campus
In Matt. 26:1-16. Jesus pointedly tells His disciples about His impending, horrific death. There’s a secret plot to arrest and execute Him. A gathering in the home of a former leper followed by the beginning of betrayal. As I read this portion of Scripture, I zoned in on one thing.
The woman who pours the expensive oil over Jesus’ head.
Before I became a Christian, I had all these preconceived ideas about how churches just want your money. Maybe I’d even hear an account like this and conclude that it’s a scheme to guilt people into thinking you have to pay and give to pacify God. But let me be clear. She doesn’t do this as an act of earning Jesus’ favor. The fact is, we cannot EARN favor, mercy, grace, or forgiveness! Even her expensive oil, which is an entire year’s salary, wouldn’t even be enough to earn our way into right standing with God. And yet, she gives it. Pours it. Douses Him with the fragrant oil. Jesus doesn’t chastise her for her act. It’s quite the opposite. We can read about her loving, sacrificial, ornate demonstration today because it is preserved in Scripture.
Contrast Jesus’ response to the feign of reproach by the disciples. Voicing their disapproval, “What a waste! This could have been used for the poor,” they gripe. After all, it was worth year’s salary, for crying out loud! In Santa Clarita, the median income as reported in 2019 was just over $99k. That amount certainly could have fed the 4,000 as recorded in Matthew 15. Imagine ordering a $20 platter for each person at Rattler’s BBQ and having money for tip. The disciples, like me, have a hard time seeing the big picture. They get hung up on the tangible, the right-in-front-of-them, the here and now. The sad truth is that perhaps they are not so very concerned with the poor. Maybe they’re so very concerned with their own benefits of nuzzling close to Jesus.
And Judas…Judas leaves and seeks monetary gain for betraying Jesus. He accepts the measly price of thirty pieces of silver. That’s about $200-$300 today. If you’re a kid, you might think that’s a lot. But if you do the budgeting…you know that won’t last you too long.
Believer, what are you holding back? Is there something you have that your heart would just as soon lavish on our Lord? Not that He needs it. Or maybe you’re not holding something back, per se. Maybe you’re allowing something to come before Him. And if you’re like me, it’s not bringing you joy. Or satisfaction. Or anything you hope it would. Because it can’t. Do I act like Judas when I’m settling for so much less? When the reality is that I can have fullness of joy, and forgiveness and abundant hope?
Maybe you haven’t yet trusted Jesus. Maybe you’re having an internal battle. Like me, making excuses for why it’s a sham. But there’s that still, small voice saying, “Come.” This week is all about setting our sights on the cross. And we can come. And know forgiveness, joy, and hope.