Thanks For my Alabaster Box

---

Good morning, back on Thanksgiving day 2018 I was meditating for many days on a song by CeCe Winans called, Alabaster Box.

​This story about Mary's alabaster box is best expressed in the book of Luke 7:37-50. Read it here (click) 

I really enjoy music and since becoming a Believer many years ago have only focused on music that edifies Christ or speaks about the Christian Life; worship songs, excetera. But, I'm not an expert in Christian music or any music at all, however, it does something to me and I believe, lately, that it has been something that has been a communication, quite honestly, from the Lord.

What do I mean by that? I mean that my life, thankfully, has become a devotional life. I don't mean that I'm any better than anybody else or that I'm out of the ordinary or strange or special. I don't mean that at all. What I mean is, that as I conduct my devotional times each day, through reading the word of God, prayer, sometimes fasting, and devoting myself to the times of fellowship with many other fellow Believers, that my attraction to certain songs has been part of the message the Lord is communicating to me. Again, I don't say that I'm special. I just believe that, possibly, the Lord uses music and specific songs in our lives, as we devote our Lives to Christ, that aid in communicating the message that the Lord wants to give to us.

So here on Thanksgiving day 2018, for the past few weeks, the song Alabaster Box has been increasingly attractive and, quite honestly, ministering to me to a degree. I couldn't quite understand why until this morning.

Again, it was Thanksgiving and the question during Thanksgiving for many folks is, "What does Thanksgiving mean? and, "What am I thankful for?"

So now I'm giving back to Him
All the praise He's worthy of
I've been forgiven and that's why
I love Him so much//

Alabaster box is a story of Thanksgiving and, of course, Christmas. This song is sung by CeCe Winans  and was written by a woman by the name of Janice Sjostran. The lyrics below express the sincere thanks expressed to God for His grace & mercy "poured" on the Believer when they had a salvation moment thru an encounter with Jesus Christ.

This song is not about oil or tears it's about appreciation and thanks to our Father for the redeeming work in my life and yours through Christ.

I spent years of my life pouring selfish and sinful "oil" into the box that "I found". He allowed me to pour these worthless things on Him so that I could "feel what I felt when He put His loving arms around me."

"You don't know the cost of the oil." "You don't know the cost of my praise".

We don't fully comprehend the cost of His sacrifice for you and me to redeem us from a life far from Him.

This is the cost of my praise.

Thank You, Father. Thank You, Jesus.

This is why the Lord has placed this song in my soul .... because it was Thanksgiving, that day and everyday.

//And I've come to pour
My praise on Him like oil
From Mary's Alabaster Box
Don't be angry if I wash His feet with my tears
And I dry them with my hair

...You weren't there the night He found me. You did not feel what I felt
When He wrapped His loving arms around me...

And you don't know the cost
Of the oil in my Alabaster box

"You don't know the cost of my praise.."

.... you don't know the cost
Of the oil in my Alabaster box

I can't forget the way life used to be
I was a prisoner to the sin that had me bound. And I spent my days,
Poured my life without measure
Into a little treasure box
I thought I found.
Until the day when Jesus came to me
And healed my soul with the wonder of His touch

So now I'm giving back to Him
All the praise He's worthy of
I've been forgiven and that's why
I love Him so much//