LUKE 10:38-42-Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”

I wonder how many books, sermons, blogs, and articles have been published and preached from today’s text on the dangers of being a busy Martha and not a reflective Mary? A lot .A whole lot. Well, I could add on to the long list and that would be good. We never can hear too much about the theme of being so busy in life we neglect the most important thing in life – sitting at the feet of the Lord Jesus and learning from Him. But I want to focus on one aspect of this familiar account that equally needs our attention and is associated with the theme of the day. Before we go there, let us be reminded of two severe consequences of being a busy Martha.

First a busy life in the things of this world will produce, not might, but will produce a barren spiritual life and a distancing from the Lord. Get so busy in life, even the good things in life, and we will wither on the spiritual vine. Gone will be peace, joy, and spiritual rest in Jesus. Welcome irritability, anxiety, impatience, and a host of other God-dishonoring actions and attitudes flowing from a lack of fellowship with the Lord

The second consequence of being a busy Mary is the development of a busy Martha lifestyle. We are creatures of habit and routine. Start letting Martha become our identity and we will grow comfortable (in a bad way) of always being busy, on the go, and neglecting the spiritual necessities of time in the Word, prayer and church

Now the main lesson of today is tied to the theme of the day. The temptation to drift into a Martha-like lifestyle and neglect the necessary Mary – like lifestyle of spiritual discipline and contemplation is constant, like daily, and will never lessen in this life. When it comes to fighting temptations, some grow weaker as we grow in grace. For instance, I know some Christians who early in their walks with the Lord battled with uncontrolled anger. Yet, as they grew in Christ, this became less and less an intense struggle. Spiritual maturity, in many cases, lessens some temptations, but not in this area. No matter how mature we are in the Lord, the temptation from our world, our flesh, and other people to always be busy and always accomplishing something at the expense of time in the Word, prayer and church will not lose its intensity. Never.

So, how do we fight this never-ending temptation? Two ways, First, daily, yes, daily, plead with the Lord to strengthen our resolve to be Mary – like in some portion of every day. Guard daily quality, may not be quantity, time with Him. Next, tell the “Martha voice” screaming at us to be busy we are not listening or giving in, even when “her loud voice” in our heart want us to go do the good things in life at the neglect of the best thing in life, sitting at the feet of Jesus, learning of and from Him.

PRAYER: “Father, forgive me when I allow good things in my life to pull me away from the best thing in life – time with You.”

QUOTE: “Consistently allow things in life, even good things, replace time with the Lord, and backsliding will occur.”