She came not to hear a sermon, although the first of Teachers was there; to sit at His feet and hear His words (Luke 10:39) was not her purpose now, blessed as that was in its proper place. She came not to make her requests known to Him. Time was, when, in deepest submission to His will, she had fallen at His feet, saying, "Lord if Thou hadst been here, my brother had not died" (John 11:32); but to pour out her supplications to Him as her only resource, was not now her thought, for her brother was seated at the table.

She came not to meet the saints, though precious saints were there, for it says, "Jesus loved Martha . . . and Lazarus" (John 11:5). Fellowship with them was blessed likewise, and, doubtless, of frequent occurrence; but fellowship was not her object now.

She came not after the weariness and toil of a week's battling with the world to be refreshed from Him, though, surely, she like every saint had learned the trials of the wilderness; and none more than she, probably, knew the blessed springs of refreshment that were in Him.

But she came,-when the world was about to express its deepest hatred of Him (ver. i), to pour out what she long had treasured up (ver. 7), and of much value (ver. 5), upon the person of Him whose love had made her heart captive, and absorbed her affections.

It was not Simon the leper, not the disciples, not her brother and sister in the flesh, but her Lord that engaged her attention now. Jesus filled her soul-her heart and her eye were on Him, and her hands and feet were subservient to her eye and to her heart, as she "anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair."

Adoration, homage, worship, blessing, was her one thought; and that in honor of the One who was "all in all " to her;-such worship, how refreshing to Him!

The ungodly (ver. 4) and the unspiritual (Matt, 26:6-9) might murmur, but He upheld her cause, and showed how He could appreciate and value the grateful tribute of a heart that knew His worth and preciousness, and could not be silent as to it. A lasting record is preserved of what worship really is by the One who accepted it, and of the one who rendered it.

Be it ours now, dear reader, from hearts filled with the Holy Spirit, to break upon Him our spiritual box of ointment,-in worship, in praise, and thanksgiving as is meet.