A few weeks ago I attended the International Mops Convention in Dallas, Texas. When we checked in we were given a small round white pin to wear. On the pin were bold black letters, SDWSC. These letters made no sense to us and soon became the talk of the convention as women, like myself, tried to guess what these letters stood for.

Eilsa Morgan, the CEO of Mops ended the convention with a compelling message out of
Mark 14:1-9. She beautifully unfolded for us what those letters were.

The passage in Mark is a story about Mary of Bethany, whom we know as the girl who sat at the feet of Jesus, and the sister to “busy bee” Mary, and “up from the grave” Lazarus. In this passage we are told that Mary poured an expensive jar of perfume on the head of Jesus while he was at Simon’s home before the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Those who watched her criticized this action towards Jesus accusing her of being wasteful– they thought the perfume could have been sold to provide money for the poor.
But, Jesus said,
“Leave her alone. ” “Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing…She did what she could.” Mark 14:6,8

There were those 5 letters, SDWSC…She Did What She Could!

Mary had taken what she had, the alabaster jar, and she used what she had, to do what she could. In this case, she anointed the head of Jesus, with what she had…and Jesus said, “She has done a beautiful thing” v. 6

Mary is an example of a WILD woman. What she did was frowned upon…from sitting at the feet of Jesus, to breaking the seal on the alabaster jar. Her love for Jesus was not politically or socially correct or understood. Yet, Jesus said that sitting at his feet would not be taken from her, and that the lavish perfume given for him was a beautiful thing. It’s WILD to please God rather than people. It’s WILDER still to do just WHAT we have been called and created to do–no more, no less.

As leaders we are not required to do EVERYTHING, or ALL that we can. We can learn from this and do just WHAT we can, in each moment, in each day, unto Jesus.

Are you doing what you could today?

Daily Prayer
Father, today I am in pain and not able to do much of anything. What is it that I can do? Help me to see what I can do today, and to do it. Maybe it’s prayer, or perhaps it’s catching up on correspondence or reading…in any case, Lord may I do what I can today, the thing that you have required of me today, October 31st 2008. Amen

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Psalm 139: 17-18 God’s Word Translation
“How precious are your thoughts concerning me, O God!
How vast in number they are! If I try to count them there would be more of them than there are grains of sand. When I wake up. I am still with you.”

Throughout Scripture we are urged to have a different “mind” about things than the unbeliever. Yet often our minds are not much different. Why? Because we have been affected by life and our perspective is often tainted with our hurts, our views, or the views that we have been taught…or NOT taught.

We must re-educate and become very aware of what God’s word says in the practical areas. I can’t think of anything more practical than getting a Biblical Life View of what God thinks about me. When that is in focus my life is very different. Why? Because once I understand that God is “for me” and “loves me” and that love “will take care of me”, I can begin to get over “ME”!

Read the opening verses again. What does it say to you?
Can you imagine counting the sand in the picture to the right?
It’s pretty impossible. In the same way we can not imagine for a moment how often and how much God is mindful of us. Why? Because God values what He has made. You were not a haphazard after-thought in the book of life. You were and still are God’s own plan. You, dear leader, were created for His purposes.

Oswald Chambers
“He urges us to keep our minds filled with the concept that God is in control of everything…Fill your mind with the thought that God is there. And once you fill your mind with that thought, when difficulties come, it will be as easy as breathing for you to remember, My heavenly father knows about this!” from My Utmost for His Highest ( July 16)

Daily Prayer
Father, I thank you today that You Know! Yes…You Know, You Know, You Know! And because you know and because of your love for me, I can begin to learn to walk in surrender and obedience. Because you know, I can begin to walk in faith. Because you know, I can learn to rest.
Jesus…Retrain my Brain! Amen.

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We all get discouraged. Discouragement is when we lose the courage to believe, even if it’s just for the moment. Sometimes discouragement is short-lived and sometimes it lingers a long time. All of us can relate to the downer of being discouraged.

It is at the point of discouragement that we are called to surrender to God whatever it is that is causing distress. The Bible says this is a casting of our cares to God because He cares for us.

1 Peter 5:7-9 God’s Word Translation
Turn all your anxiety over to God because he cares for you. Keep your mind clear and be alert. Your opponent the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion as he looks for someone to devour. Be firm in the faith and resist him, knowing that other believers throughout the world are going through the same kind of suffering.

Turning our anxiety into surrender
True surrender is not just the surrender of our external life and circumstances. True surrender involves the surrender of our will. This is the most difficult surrender of all. We can love God, show up to serve God, and speak of the truths about God’s will. But, when He asks us to hand over “our will” to Him, that is another story all together.

To experience all that God has for us, we must surrender our will to God.

• Whatever is causing me anxiety or uncertainty is actually a call to my will–”Come to Me.” Matthew 11:28

• Whatever is causing me to hold on to the “rights” of myself is actually a call to let go of my rights–”If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself…” Matthew 16:24

What comes after surrender?
It is then our entire life begins to become characterized by a desire to live in unbroken fellowship and oneness with God.

Lord, help me to hand over to you, all of me. Amen

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