Tag Archives: mary & martha

Forty Days of Praying the Word of God: Day 22

“While they were traveling, He entered a village, and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home. She had a sister named Mary, who also sat at the Lord’s feet and was listening to what He said. But Martha was distracted by her many tasks, and she came up and asked, “Lord, don’t You care that my sister has left me to serve alone? So tell her to give me a hand.” The Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has made the right choice, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Luke 10:38-42

Lord God, what is it that is distracting Your people today? What keeps us from just being with You? What has us accusing Your heart of not caring?

I pray for the distracted ones Lord, and I ask that You help us focus our attention on You. I pray that we will begin to turn from our many tasks, and make our way to Your presence. Whatever is distracting us Lord, I pray that it will fall away as we turn our attention to the better choice. May all distractions take a back seat to You. I pray that politics will get off of the stage and stop clamoring for Your spotlight. I pray that finances, world events, and even our health issues will move out of our way so that we can see You clearly.

Forgive us Lord, for when we have judged Your heart. Forgive us for demanding that our tasks, and the many things we are worried about, be Your priorities. Forgive us for assuming that You don’t care just because things are not being done according to our plans. Forgive us our accusations against our brothers and sisters who choose being with You, over doing for You.

Forgive us Father, for welcoming You in, and then choosing to stay busy. Forgive us for believing that preparing for Your presence is more important than being in Your presence. Forgive us for finding our tasks more important than hanging on Your every word. Forgive us, God, for making it about us.

Lord, would You heal our distractions, and bring us to Your feet?

In Your mighty Name I pray. Amen.

distracted

Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things,  but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”  Luke 10:41-42  

After pulling apart the words used to describe how Martha was feeling in this passage, I discovered two important definitions.

Distracted and drawn away

Martha loved Jesus too, that much is clear. In fact, I think she would have loved to just sit at His feet and drink in His every word. But ‘so much to do’ was pulling at her, too-busynipping her heels and making a lot of noise. People are depending on her, needing her, demanding her attention. Her days get consumed with needs and have to’s and should’s and no-time-for-that’s. I think maybe she would need to get up at 5:00 a.m. if she wants to be a Mary and good gravy that’s early.  And things start to feel no fair and I think Martha was just tired. And a little cranky.

Or maybe it’s just me.

Distracted. Drawn away. Pulled and tugged and nipped at and too tired to get up that early. But then I hear His words and I take the comfort they offer.

Few things are needed. Only one, really. Choose the better thing.

Because in all the pulling and nipping and noisy demanding…I’ve still been choosing. It just hasn’t felt that way. Sometimes, a  lot of times, feelings are liars. What feels like no choice is, in reality, the choosing we are doing.

Getting up early is not a mountain, it’s a choice. Ignoring the pull of need to, ought to and have to long enough to sit at His feet is not a wish, it’s a choice.

One of my favorite lines in the bible is simply this — “Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”  I love that line because of what it reveals of Jesus.

He will fiercely protect my choice to sit at His feet.

Quiet_TimeI want to be just as fierce in choosing to be with Him.