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.”
THEME OF THE DAY: SLOW DOWN, SIT AT HIS FEET. Each day of the Christian life we face spiritual battles. The foes are aggressive, deceptive, and relentless. There is the devil who roams around seeking to devour us (1 Peter 5:8). Joining forces with the devil is the world using all its “siren songs” of pleasure to lure Christians off the straight and narrow path of following Jesus and shipwreck their faith (1 John 2:15-17). And we have ourselves; the remaining sinful flesh that needs no help from the devil or world to cause severe spiritual damage in our lives. The very passions and lusts of the flesh have proven effective to sideline many Christians in the good fight of faith (James 1:12-15).
There is one tactic used by all three of our foes that is a sign of the times we live in, and evidenced by the lives we live. This one tactic is so effective that few other methods of attack by the devil, world, and flesh need to be deployed. It is what distracted Martha in today’s scripture and received a firm but compassionate rebuke from our Lord Jesus. And here is the danger of this tactic. On the surface, the activity, it is not sinful, but what it produces is. The tactic? Busyness. Fill life with busyness and we will make no time for Jesus or disrespect Him by giving Him “leftover time” at the end of our days that is often marked by fatigue, mindlessness, and lacks the zeal necessary for quality time in His Word and prayer. Be busy and we will crowd out Jesus. And busyness causes more spiritual damage in the lives of Christians than anything else and, alarmingly, many Christians are not aware how barren their spiritual lives are because of self-imposed busyness.
But the story and contrast of Martha and Mary offers us hope. We may look at Mary and glean two applications. The first is the theme of today’s nugget – slow down, sit at His feet; And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. The first step to slaying busyness is simply be resolved to say “no” to busyness but this requires the heart of Mary, not Martha. We must believe the value of spending time with the Lord in His Word and prayer. The evidence we do value such solitude will not be in words. It will be the actual exercise of self-discipline to say “no” to the loud screams of busyness and consistently get alone with the Lord.
Another lesson from Mary is don’t give into the pressures others place upon us toward busyness. Basically, not only saying “no” to personally imposed busyness; also saying “no” to those who want to add busyness to our lives. I know I am assuming, and I know that is dangerous, but hear me out. Martha was quick to chastise Jesus for her wanting to tell Mary “Get up and help me, sis.” So, if she was quick to do so with the Creator, it is probably safe to say she was hounding Mary to help before the Lord arrived. Be on guard of always giving into the demands of others upon us. It may quickly be a form of busyness that has adverse impacts on our spiritual lives.
So, slow down, sit at His feet. He commands it. He deserves it. He delights in us doing so. May we find our place beside Mary more than alongside Martha.
PRAYER: “Father, help me to live my life as You give it – one day at a time, one moment at a time.”
QUOTE: “Fill our lives with busyness and we will crowd out Jesus. Busyness slays more Christians than anything else.”
In the affection of Christ Jesus,
Pastor Jim