Dejudging Servitude, Cloudy Strength

One of the most striking passages in the Bible, to me, has always been something I stumble across rather randomly, and recently I did just that. It is located in the 46th verse of Luke 7. In this verse, a young lady has blessed Jesus by washing his feet. But she does so in a stark manner.

Now, before I get into this, realize that in the culture of the time, water is a valuable commodity. People are often cleaned through the application of ointments and oils. It is a blessing, then, to be anointed with oil, both from a respect point of view, but also for a cleanliness point of view - it is a singular honor to be cleaned up for a meal. An obvious example is the promenade of high school, where kids who normally aren't given to hours of grooming are instead donning the garb of professional debutantes, and to intermingle in a socially accepted pseudo-mating ritual. So it was that Jesus, a respected prophet and healer was invited into the house of a Pharisee. One would expect Jesus to be honored as highly as the pharisee could imagine, to include an anointing with oil and having His feet washed.

Instead, Jesus has graciously not spoken about it, but is engaged in discussion when a woman approaches him and anoints His head with oil.
Then she WASHES HIS FEET WITH HER TEARS AND HAIR.

This woman is quite literally giving everything she has to honor a man who is so awe inspiring to her that she nearly crumbles in reverence to him. She faces abuse, derision, and who knows what else, to serve Jesus. And Jesus' heart is touched. For this is just the type of person who embodies who we are, and who He came to save. And it is through her simple, focused faith that we see what Jesus wants us to do.

Admit we're flawed.
Come to Him.
Ask for repentance through service and prayer.
And wait upon the Lord.

Not one of these tasks is hard in and of itself. Together they CAN be enough to stymy anyone.

Potent stuff.

Every time I read that passage, my own heart goes out to that woman. And I have peace - because Jesus came for that kind of person.
She represents each of us - we are all depraved, sinful creatures, surrounded by unkindred pharisees trying to convince us that we should feel ashamed, bow our heads, and run from the only one who can grant us redemption.


A to complement God's grace, I find God's riddles all over the Bible - passages that don't make sense in the natural, things that don't fit paradigms, and it is soul-challenging and inspiring to give those to God and grow as a result.

The most current conundrum, for me, is located at Psalm 68:34, where it indicates some of God's strength is in the clouds.
This is an interesting metaphor for me, because I have always seen the clouds as more ephemeral than anything else. The idea that they represent strength is a paradigm-changing concept.
What about clouds is enduring?
Well, they float ... they float so high up, in fact, that most things don't even mess with clouds. Add to this that their substance are that of rarefied water droplets, kind of like hanging snow, and we see a picture of something that appears fundamentally ephemeral. And I begin to see how God's strength is comparable to that of the clouds. God's strength is boundless, goes where it will, none are not subject to its presence, and provides surcease from the harsh rays of judgment. Clouds do the same thing with sunlight, for they certainly give cover. There is no place on earth that clouds have not visited. Indeed, clouds can go pretty much where they please. And the range of clouds, although obviously having a much more limited definition, is boundless in expression.

In addition, combinations of types of clouds provide different effects, much like different forms of God's strength, there is a direct link between water and Jesus, and we acknowledge God's presence by saying He is reigning upon us.

I think this can be best summarized by the praise and worship song Days of Elijah, in particular the refrain:

Behold He comes! Riding on the clouds!
Shining like the sun! At the trumpet call
Lift your voice! It’s the year of Jubilee!
And out of Zion’s hill salvation comes!