When God Showed Up For Mary of Bethany
She gives extravagantly because she has already received deeply.
When God Showed Up in Zechariah 3
Zechariah 3:1–10
Joshua stands in the presence of God — unfit to be there. His garments are filthy. Not accidentally stained, not lightly soiled, but defiled in a way that cannot be hidden or excused. He does not speak. He knows what he is wearing, and he knows where he stands.
And Satan stands beside him. The accuser does not need to invent lies. The clothes say enough. But before Joshua can be condemned, God speaks.When God Showed Up For Mary of Bethany
Luke 10:38–42; John 12:1–8
Mary sits at Jesus’ feet. Nothing is happening — and everything is happening. Martha is working. The house is busy. The moment feels impractical, even wasteful. But Mary stays right where she is.
She has learned something.
Later, she will break open a jar of perfume worth an entire year’s salary and pour it over Jesus’ feet. The room will fill with fragrance, and the objections will come quickly. You can almost hear them:
“Why?” What a waste!” “What are you doing?”
But Mary does not explain herself. Her moment happened long before the perfume was poured. It happened when Mary realized that Jesus did not need another hanger-on or a curiosity seeker — He needed to be adored. Others measure value by cost or usefulness. Mary measures it by nearness.
She gives extravagantly because she has already received deeply. Her worship is not impulsive — it is informed by time spent at His feet.
What is God revealing about Himself in this story? That His presence is not a distraction from what matters — it is what matters. That kind of devotion will always look excessive to those who have not lingered with Him. That kind of love does not calculate cost when it has found its treasure.
Jesus defends Mary.
“She has chosen the better part.”
He does not say it is the easier part. He says it is better. When God shows up, the heart that has been with Him cannot help but pour everything out.Because once we see His worth, nothing else compares.
God reveals Himself both in overwhelming glory and in quiet presence. One leaves us on our faces. The other leaves us at His feet.
Mary was on holy ground. She didn’t count the cost of worship. She gave what meant the most to her to tell God that nothing compares to Him.
“The LORD rebuke you, O Satan … Is this not a brand plucked from the fire?”
Joshua is silent. The verdict is rendered before the defense is even offered. This courtroom is a sanctuary where mercy reigns. Then something astonishing happens.
God does not tell Joshua to clean himself up or send him away to become worthy. He doesn’t lower the standard of holiness. Instead, God removes the garments.
“See, I have taken your iniquity away from you.”
Note carefully what is taking place. Joshua’s sin is not being covered — it is taken away. And in its place, God clothes him in pure vestments. This is not reform. This is what we call imputation.
Joshua contributes nothing but his need. God supplies everything else. Righteousness is not earned here — it is bestowed. Holiness is not achieved — it is given. And then God speaks.
“I am bringing My servant, the Branch.”
The clothing of Joshua is not the only story here — it is pointing us to something greater. The Branch is coming, the One who will bear the weight of sin fully and finally. Joshua stands cleansed because Another will one day stand condemned in his place.
A future day is promised — a day when iniquity will be removed completely. Not temporarily. Not symbolically. Entirely.
God defends us before our accusers. He is a God who restores before He defends — a God who cleanses sinners so He can commission saints.
Joshua is not made worthy by obedience — he is made worthy for obedience. Like each of us: we stand filthy, accused, and silent — and God answers on our behalf. He rebukes the accuser, removes our guilt and clothes us in righteousness that is not our own.
God does not wait for us to become clean. He makes us clean so that we may stand.
