Devotion

This woman had an emotion in her soul and it swelled and longed for expression. She was charged with wastefulness. No, no it was not waste. Had she not poured out the fragrant ointment then, there would have been waste. Her soul panted for some way to express her devotion, and she took this way and her love was increased and tendered, and she was qualified to be a greater blessing to the world. Had she not given expression to her love, she would have lost love and there would have been the waste. Whatever elevates us and serves to make us more capable of doing good is not waste.

She wrought this work on Jesus. “To what purpose was this deed done?” That should not be the question. “For whose sake was it done?” That is the question that settles the matter. Everything done from the stirring of love in the heart for Jesus makes it a good work. Working a good work on Jesus Christ is the law of Christian devotion.

True devotion is that disposition of heart that moves it to perform with tender affection and burning fervor all its services to God. The bowing of the knees, the prostrating of the body on the ground, the lifting of the eyes heavenward, the wringing of the hands, and the pious sighs and groans are not full proof of a devoted heart. In all acts of true devotion there is a high esteem, a profound respect, a holy adoration for the Divine Majesty; there is an humble acknowledgement of the soul’s dependence and duty; there is an intense desire to lavish the heart’s love upon Jesus by doing all things for His sake.

No exercising of the soul is so ennobling, so hallowing, so consoling as the performing of humble, sincere acts of devotion. True devotion is attended by self-sacrifice. Devotion is more than sentiment. It is a principle fixed in the core of our being. We cannot always be in acts of devotion, but the principle is in the soul and it expresses itself on every fitting occasion.

“I want a principle within of watchful, godly fear,
A sensibility of sin, a pain to feel it near.

“Quick as the apple of an eye, O God, my conscience make;
Awake my soul when sin is nigh, and keep it still awake.”*