Mary or Martha?

[Abiding in His Word]

Mary or Martha?

The verse that frequently comes to mind is Luke 21:34: "But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly." I can honestly say that I have no problem at all with carousing and drunkenness (!) but the cares of this life do tend to crowd in, especially when there are so many things to be done.

Another verse that comes to mind is Luke 10:41-42: "And Jesus answered and said to her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her."

It's easy to be a "Martha" when people need to be cared for, and when there are so many seemingly important jobs to be tackled. I pray God will give me - and all of us - a heart like that of Mary who sat at the feet of Jesus to hear from Him, to give herself to Him, to relate to Him as the single most important task in her life, sacrificing everything and everyone else to that "one thing".

If you'd been there on that occasion, as Martha struggled to get the house and food ready for lots of visitors, without Mary's assistance, you might have been tempted to agree with her. It wasn't sinful or wrong of Martha to cater for people's needs or try and make them comfortable. But she was acting out of her own desire to fulfill people's needs, whereas Jesus wanted to give them something MUCH more lasting and valuable.

An important lesson that we all need to learn, is to put the will of God before the driving "needs" of others.

Luke 21:34: "But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly."

[seekingtruth]

The point I always took from Mary and Martha was that Martha was doing a good thing, but she didn't first seek the LORD. "Seek ye first the LORD..."

I know many today doing the same thing as Martha. They are so busy in their ministries and helping others, but when did they ask God what He wanted them to do? Maybe He had another job in mind for them altogether. That's the problem when we don't seek Him first and find out what He wishes us to do this day. Perhaps its the chores we must all do for others, but maybe, just maybe, He wished you to be still this day and know that He is LORD. To spend this day learning of Him.

[Abiding in His Word]

I also found it interesting that Mary sat reverently and attentively "Sat at the Lord's feet" (10:39) This is a particularly significant phrase, because Jewish disciples or students sat at the feet of their chosen rabbis or teachers. The apostle Paul, for example, says that he was "brought up. . . at the feet of Gamaliel" (Acts 22:3). Mary, thus identified with a disciple of Christ.

Jesus clearly was saying that Martha was distracted by many things, but Mary had chosen the thing that was lasting. It makes me think of Jesus' words that "heaven and earth will pass away, but His words will not."

That Jesus was relating the better priorities, the lasting ones, seems a good reminder for us.

[seekingtruth]

This has always been my idea of heaven - sitting at His feet and just listening. What an awesome thing that must be!