There are two kinds of anointing in the Bible. The first is ceremonial – anointing for religious purposes. The second is cosmetic – anointing for grooming or health. Today I’m going to talk about the anointing for good health.
The 23rd Psalm includes the phrase, “Thou anointest my head with oil.” That’s a reference to a special condition among sheep, where it was important to apply a remedy of oil to their heads.
You see, sheep are especially troubled by the nose fly. These little nose flies buzz about the sheep’s head, attempting to deposit their eggs on the damp mucous membranes of the sheep’s nose. If they are successful, the eggs will hatch in a few days to form small, slender, worm-like larvae. They work their way up the nasal passages into the sheep’s head, and they burrow into the flesh and there set up an intense irritation accompanied by severe inflammation. One shepherd said, “I always preferred to use a homemade remedy composed of linseed oil, sulphur, and tar which was smeared over the sheep’s nose and head as a protection against nose flies.” He goes on to say, “What an incredible transformation this would make among the sheep. Once the oil had been applied to the sheep’s head, there was an immediate change in behavior. Gone was the aggravation; gone the frenzy; gone the irritability and the restlessness. Instead, the sheep would start to feed quietly again, then soon lie down in peaceful contentment.”
What a beautiful picture of the anointing of the Holy Spirit. As I rely upon His presence, those small petty annoyances no longer irritate me. Those pesky distractions that inflame my spirit and drive me up the wall, no longer annoy me. What a difference it makes in my day!
“Thou anointest my head with oil.”
Say, are you irritated and annoyed by little things? Ask the Holy Spirit to calm your soul and anoint you with His peace.