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October 5, 2012

INSTANT MESSAGE: Mary and Martha

By CRAIG HARRIS Palestine Herald-Press

PALESTINE — Luke 10: 38-42 (NIV): As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said. 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!" "Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."

Often life presents choices not between good and evil, but between what is good and what is best. It is best, Jesus said, to spend time with him. To sit at his feet and get to know him. There is nothing more important than this. We were created to fellowship with God and sitting at his feet is how we fulfill our purpose.

Martha was fussing to make everything just right and, because of it, missing out on the time she could have spent with him. “Only one thing is needed” may mean something like, “I don't need anything too fancy, just find some bread and come visit with me.”    

Jesus understood the cultural need for a hostess to provide for her guests. He understood that Martha felt compelled to feed him. Jesus simply used this situation to teach us that working for him is not the best thing, our relationship with him is. Our faith is not about rules, regulations and work, it is about having a loving friendship with Almighty God.    

Ours is the only faith that teaches that the Creator desires fellowship with his creation and paid dearly to have it. That is amazing to think about. How do we sit at his feet today? By reading his Word, praying, and attending church.    

One of the devil's favorite tools is to keep us so busy, we neglect our time with God. Sometimes we are so busy, even doing good things, that we neglect just sitting quietly at God's feet. As we fall in love with Him, we will serve him more and more, but it will be from an outflowing of our love for him. That's the best service of all.

 

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