While the King is in His circle…

"While the King is in His circle, my spikenard gives its smell." Son 1:12 MKJV

What a challenge I am seeing in this verse. I wish the Lord my king and lover will dwell in His circle of friends, in the circle of His children and in the circle of His Church and I will break my alabaster box so that the fragrance of His life may break forth in me and fill the whole house. The spikenard will not give its smell unless it is cracked and broken.

Fragrance only comes out of brokenness! Mary of Bethany came at the right time to where the Master was sitting at the table with His friends, (Lazarus inclusive) and lavished her best on the Lord by breaking the alabaster box. Several thought it a waste for her to pour such a very costly ointment unreservedly on the Lord. They thought of what money they could make out of it. But Mary thought only of what she could do to beautify her Lord. It is not the value in money of what is meant for my Lord that matters here, but that it is selflessly poured on His head who poured His life and glory out for me. Mary was selfless. She was sensible to know what she could do to contribute to all the process of the Master getting to the cross at Calvary. It was sensible to her to give her best to the Lord and not to the poor that she would have several other opportunities to help.

She was sensitive to divine timing. She knew this was the last time she would sit at His feet in this way. This was also the last time anyone would be able to give Him such a treatment. His body would not lie for long in the tomb of death. It is not His dead body that must be anointed, but His living body I must pour my all to beautify. She did it when the Master needed it most. She did it while He was in the circle of His friends. It would have been impossible when he was already encircled by the mob led by Judas to arrest Him. She had insight and foresight to see ahead of men.

“She has come a forehand to anoint my body for burial” was the Lord’s comment. The perfume was only needed while men handled him and bundled him to the place of the skull and to the tomb. It was not needed any more after. He would be the risen Lord, who needed no perfume of earth. His glory in resurrection would overwhelm any perfume of human making.

O Lord, open my eyes to see when to do what I must do for thy body. Mary only prepared your body for the burial, just as you were anointed at Jordan for ministry. I must pour out my all now on thy Body in preparation for her coming days. I know not what lies ahead of thy Body, but I believe it will be a revival. I must break my own alabaster box at this point, pouring the best ointment of my life for thy Body to be made ready for a divine visitation. I am called to prepare Your Body for the day of her visitation. I must labour to prepare men as vessels for the coming rain. I must break my own alabaster box to release the oil within for the preparation of the Body for the end time challenges, raising disciples all over the world, who will be the donkeys on which the Master will ride triumphantly in to His glory.
Mary prepared your physical body for the trial and the burial. I must prepare your living body for the coming revival. As Mary was determined and undaunted with the criticism of the disciples around, help me dear Lord to be so focused in my calling to serve thy Church in this time. Other sisters were planning to preserve the dead body in the tomb. They sought a ministry of perfuming the rotten body. They sought a ministry to cover up corruption but with a sweet artificial smell. It would be a deliberate effort to conceal the decay that is settling on the dead body. They missed it all. They least realized there would be nothing in the tomb to preserve or to cover up from releasing foul smell to the world. The empty tomb would be the evidence of His resurrection. He would not need an artificial incense to keep decay from reaching the nostrils of men. What a ministry those sisters opted for. Mary has indeed chosen the good part, which has remained a sweet memorial unto her till this day.
Lord, I can hear your voice clearly this day on what I must do. It is not to engage myself in the preservation of dead doctrines and tradition. It is to pour the fragrance of Your life within this earthen pot of mine upon thy Body and prepare her for the days ahead. It is not for a hypocritical ministry of covering up decay and corruption with sweet words. It is not a spray of ointment on the decaying body. It is actually to pour out of a broken life into thy Church such fragrance of life that will propel her for a glorious witness in the days ahead. Teach me, O Lord, how to do this. It is not about creating an impression upon the world, but raising a Body whose appearance oozes out a sweet fragrance of life unto life.

"While the King is in His circle, my spikenard gives its smell."
Again, I must note the word "while" in this verse.There is time for everything. It is while the King is in His circle that I must break this alabaster box of mine. The spikenard must give its smell now. It will be of no use anymore after He has left. Seek ye the Lord while He may be found, call on Him while He is near is the instruction in Isaiah 55:6. Help me to walk in time with You in labouring on thy Body.
It also implies that I must work while it is day, for the night comes when no man can work. Those other sisters came late with their ministry. Help me to be sensitive to the time of my showing to Your Israel.
In yet another sense, it is while He is in the circle, while He is the center of my affection that I may be able to break the box and draw forth the sweet fragrance. He is the siphon that brings to the fore my inner grace. It is Him who brings out of a mere man the fragrance of His grace. O Lord, this is quite a matter to me today. It will all be vague and a labour in futility, if You are not in the circle. If You do not occupy Your rightful place in my heart. Come on the high table and take Your place. Take the center. Take the prime place. Take the pre-eminent place. Take the prominent place. Sit on thy throne in my heart dear Lord. It is then and only then my spikenard can give its smell.