“Truly I tell you, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.” Matthew 26:13
We continue to see the power of love. We are invited to live into the truth of love. Jesus is always moving, always at rest in who He is, and always present to those who are present to him. In our text this week in Matthew 26, we have read of the woman’s sacrifice and her response to Jesus entering the house. She went to him. She kept company with Jesus.
We may also be familiar with Mary keeping company with Jesus while Martha was preparing a meal. As Martha voices her concern to Jesus, He responds “Martha, Martha you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed-or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” Luke 10.41-42
Here again, we see someone simply keeping company with Jesus. There is no fear of perception and no hindrance that keeps Mary from Jesus’ feet.
Again, we know of a woman keeping company with Jesus at the well and the woman learns of the Messiah. She encounters love Himself. No shadow of shame can darken the light she has encountered. No guilt too heavy. A town comes to believe because of her testimony.
What or who do you keep company with? Are you tempted to keep company with perception, guilt, shame or fear?
Eugene Peterson offers words on the way to love in his translation of Ephesians 5.
“Watch what God does, and then you do it, like children who learn proper behavior from their parents. Mostly what God does is love you. Keep company with him and learn a life of love. Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn’t love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. Love like that.” Ephesians 5.1-2 MSG
God’s love for you is extravagant. God’s love was giving life for you. It’s paid, it’s finished and His love prevails over you. Keep company with Him. Rest in the truth that you are loved. As you believe in His love for you, He can’t not love through you. He has done it. He does it. He will continue to love you. There is nothing that can separate you from His love. We believe this truth. Let’s take a deeper step of faith to take hold of this truth today and live with this truth in mind.
Reflection:
- What or whom do you keep company with most?
- What would it look like for you to keep company with Jesus?
- “Keep company with Him and learn a life of love.” How might you live more fully into this truth today?
Prayer:
Ephesians 3.14-21 (MSG)
“My response is to get down on my knees before the Father, this magnificent Father who parcels out all heaven and earth. I ask him to strengthen you by his Spirit—not a brute strength but a glorious inner strength—that Christ will live in you as you open the door and invite him in. And I ask him that with both feet planted firmly on love, you’ll be able to take in with all followers of Jesus the extravagant dimensions of Christ’s love. Reach out and experience the breadth! Test its length! Plumb the depths! Rise to the heights! Live full lives, full in the fullness of God.
20-21 God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us.
Glory to God in the church!
Glory to God in the Messiah, in Jesus!
Glory down all the generations!
Glory through all millennia! Oh, yes!”
