"She has done a beautiful thing to me."

Rev. Jill Hudson led the Thursday morning devotional call on March 26, 2026. The following is a transcript of her devotional.

Thank you Rev. Davis for that warm welcome.

Good morning to everyone on this call or who is listening to the recording of this call.  

And thanks be to God for calling you to your ministry setting and for you having the courage and faithfulness to say YES to that call.  

You are valuable to the work that God is doing in the world.  You are valuable to the souls that you encounter each and every day.  And, powerful women, you are valuable to Texas Baptist Women in Ministry! 

We are blessed and honored to be able to walk alongside you as you journey throughout Texas ministering to those whom you encounter.  

You are our inspiration as we make decisions and create new initiatives for TXBWM.  We think about you. We pray for you.  And we listen to your voices.  You are held in high esteem in all our eyes and we absolutely thank God upon every remembrance of you.

I hope that you can all tell how thrilled I am to be asked to lead this morning’s devotional!

Our Scripture this morning comes from: Matthew chapter 26 verses 6 to 13

While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table.

When the disciples saw this, they were indignant. “Why this waste?” they asked. “This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor.”

Aware of this, Jesus said to them, “Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me. When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial. Truly I tell you, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”

This is the Word of the Lord.  Thanks be to God.

Let us pray: Thank you, Jesus, for the witness of this unnamed woman.  Thank you for her boldness to not only see but to also respond to You as You ministered on earth.  During our time together this morning, please give us eyes to see and courage to act upon what we see.  Amen.

For much of my tenure as a minister across North Carolina and Alabama, I was a leader in

Godly Play classrooms.  Godly Play is spiritual formation designed to honor the curiosity, competency, and capacity of children.  On Sunday mornings in these classrooms, children became acquainted with the rhythms of the church year.  

Advent, Christmas, Epiphany

Lent, Easter, Eastertide, Pentecost

Ordinary Time

They learned that there are three great times in the church year - Christmas, Easter, and Pentecost.

And they learned that there are seasons for getting ready for those great times - Advent, Lent, and Eastertide.

The children (and if we are honest, the adults in the room as well) learned that these great times are incredible mysteries.  

As the leader, I would say, “People can walk through these mysteries each year, and not even know what’s there.  We need time to get ready to come close to these mysteries.”

Advent prepared us for Christmas.

Right now Lent is preparing us for Easter.

And Eastertide will allow us space to be ready for Pentecost.

There is rhythm to the movement.

A cycle, a dependability.

The ancient church set time in a circle so that every ending is also a new beginning.  

That is also something mysterious.  

And that is where we find ourselves today.  Close to an end that will soon become a new beginning. Palm Sunday is three days away; Good Friday is next week.  Easter is a mere 10 days away.  

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One of my favorite moments in the recorded life of Jesus is when he is anointed by the woman in Bethany. 

There is much mystery with her as well, isn’t there?

No name is given in Scripture.  Who is she, we may wonder.  What is her name?  How does she relate to Jesus? How does he know her?  Is she also known by others in attendance?  We may not know the answers but we must pay attention to her because her story is there in all three synoptic Gospels.  

In this story, she brings an Alabaster jar of perfumed ointment with her.  She breaks the jar

and anoints Jesus’ head with it, filling the room with the most beautiful aroma.  

The alabaster jar comes to an end.  

And also, mysteriously, becomes something new.

Christ shows her compassion and love.  As other men see her actions as folly, Jesus firmly states for the record, “Truly I tell you, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”

Women of God, take heed.

This woman is unnamed.  She is unidentified by title, by position, by power.

She is known by what she has done.  

She saw an ending and was brave enough to face it.

She saw that Christ’s earthly ministry was coming to an end and blessed it.

There is no record of others around the table agreeing with her assessment of the situation.  In fact, just the opposite.

Jesus quiets them.  

Aware of her heart.  

Of her sight.

Of her purpose.

“She has done a beautiful thing to me,” Jesus says.

Ahhhh.

This woman sees that Christ is heading towards burial, towards a gruesome end.  In one gospel account she is weeping while anointing him.  

I think she also has eyes to see the possibility of a new beginning.

Of beauty from ashes.

Of life from death.

—————

As we march forward toward Palm Sunday and Easter, let us not walk right through the mystery.  

Let us see the mystery as best we can.  

Endings are certain.

Grief and loss are sure.  

Our hearts will ache and tears will come.

Your alabaster jar may be broken and never, ever be the same.

Listener, you might never be the same.

Jesus says, “This is a beautiful thing to do for Him.”

The rhythm continues by the power of Jesus.

Beginnings are birthed from those endings.

Everlasting life comes from the most horrific ending.

This is mystery.  

Let us face it with eyes that see and ears that hear.

Even when there is pain.

Knowing that a new beginning is sure to come.

Amen.

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Will you join me in prayer?  

Lord, I lift up to You the women, the group, the family that is Texas Baptist Women in

Ministry.  I thank You for Your faithfulness to call women to ministry and then to provide them the resources in order to thrive in that calling.  I pray for our Board of Directors, that You will anoint them with wisdom and courage and insight to see what is next for this organization.  I also pray for each listener to this call - that you will bolster her today for the work set before her.  That You would gently remind her that the work she does for You is beautiful and is also courageous.  Jesus, You are worthy of our worship and our praise and all of our hallelujahs.  We are honored to be called by You and it is our pleasure to say Yes day after day after day.  Amen.

The Houston Regional TXBWM group warmly invites all women in ministry to join their Thursday Morning Devotional and Prayer Call.  This call has been in existence since the beginning of TXBWM - praise be to God!  We celebrate their faithfulness to bear witness to the work that God is doing amongst all women serving in Baptist spaces in Texas.  You will be encouraged, inspired, and affirmed.  Callers are automatically muted so you can listen while you get ready for your day! Conference Call # (667) 770-1536 | Access Code: 715501#