Luke 10:38-42 (New International Version, ©2011)
At the Home of Martha and Mary
38 As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. 39 She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. 40 But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” 41 “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, 42 but few things are needed—or indeed only one.[a] Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”Luke and I were reading his Bible together, and we came across the story of Jesus visiting Martha and Mary. The images in his Bible really struck me straight in the heart. I have been working, with God's grace, on being a more Mary like person. Less frustrated, frantic and less worry about the 'stuff' and spending more time in the Bible, studying, reading and praying. We all have.
What I didn't realize was that Luke had seen the change in me as well. He looked at the pictures, on both pages, and with a serious look on his face told me, "Mama, being more like Mary makes it easier to hear Jesus, right?" and right then I knew something very special. He was seeing the Mary in me, and not remembering the times when I was more Martha.
I know Martha, I know her. I've been her for a lot of my life. The frantic, the must do, the only one person alone doing everything rushing and missing life. I've rushed around, angry and frustrated, and missed blessings heaped upon me and I've been so angry to do things 'alone'. Not realizing that it is my choice. I can choose to spend that time at His feet or I can be rushing about preparing for a mortal feast missing the eternal nourishment in His Word.
How much have I missed? On one hand, too much and on the other, enough to learn to listen.
Learning to listen to the things that really matter makes it so we can listen to the things which are not things!
Laughter, wrestling, little hands helping clean up, little boys growing big, writing in my gratitude journal, taking a walk, petting a new born calf, properly doing my work, homeschooling, keeping our home nice, enjoying my husband, and the list can go on and on...
The food of grace fills me. The Word nourishes my soul, my spirit experiences joy and my life feels more balanced. I don't feel like lashing out. I feel like embracing. Instead of feeling frustrated, I'm calmly and prayerfully approaching challenges. Instead of losing sleep I'm falling asleep in the loving arms of my Lord. Instead of feeling angry, I'm feeling joy.
Let me amend that - I'm seeking joy! I'm seeking His loving Arms! I'm looking straight on and embracing the blessings in my life.
Still, I know I'll slip and embrace my Martha and that's okay. She and I have been together for a very long time. I learned her young and assumed her busy fussing was a good thing. Because anyone who could sit still wasn't being a good hostess. She wasn't being what she should but shouldn't we be just the opposite?
How many times have we wished our hostess would sit and enjoy instead of fussing, rushing and dashing about? What a wonderful message for us to stop and enjoy our guests. After all everyone is a guest in our lives as we are in theirs. Shouldn't we embrace being Mary instead of trying to impress the world with our busy Martha?
I'm working really hard, really prayerfully on being more Mary in my life...I hope you join me!
