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: SAYING “NO” TO BUSYNESS. Yes, today’s scripture is the classic text on “don’t be a Martha, be a Mary” addressing the danger of busyness, even good busyness. Yes, many sermons have been and will be preached about this topic. Yes, books have been written, too. And yes, today’s nugget is about busyness so don’t expect something new. But in the Christian life, we don’t need something new. We need to be constantly reminded of the truth that is timeless; God’s truth, and today’s scripture is God’s truth addressing a topic we must guard against with great diligence – busyness.
I had one of those mornings. Each of you know them well. I am an early riser. Real early. I love the quiet of the morning. Today, I didn’t sleep in, but I knew my plate “runneth over” today with about 36 hours of things demanding my attention in a 24-hour day. It was going to be busy, and that from the moment I “hit the deck” from bed. And I was feeling quite “Martha-like” in a matter of minutes, and what got neglected was being “Mary-like” at the feet of Jesus. When that occurs, things don’t go well. Now I am not saying “Having a quiet time in the Word and prayer with Jesus” guarantees a calm and easy day. What I am saying is starting our day with the Lord, not the world, will make a difference. Such a discipline orients life in heaven and the spiritual. It arms us against busyness and all the things seeking to take our eyes off Jesus. And let me address the crowd that says, “I am just not a morning person.” You really are. I mean, “You do get out of bed before noon, right? Before morning gives way to afternoon, right?” Yes, all of us are morning people, and all of us may start the day with the Lord. For some, maybe an hour or so. For others fifteen minutes. It is never a time issue, but desire and discipline issues.
So, what are the keys to not allowing the busyness of a Martha become our frantic morning routines, setting the stage for stress, worry, and anxiety? Only two. Simple. Not easy, simple. First, ask the Lord to give us a great desire to be Mary, sitting at Jesus’ feet. Make it a prayer, “Lord, don’t let me put the world ahead of You as I start my day.” The next step is borrowed from the old Nike slogan – “Just do it.” Start tomorrow morning if we are not already Mary-like in the mornings. Be an answer to our own prayers and discipline our bodies to get up and meet the Lord, not the demands of the world. And stay with it. We will soon develop a morning Mary-like habit.
The bottom line is simply this. To defeat busyness, we exercise Holy Spirit-empowered “No” to putting good things ahead of the best thing!
PRAYER: “Father, forgive me for the too many times I allow busyness in life to rob me of time with You who is my life.”
QUOTE: “If the busyness of the world keeps us from the business of the Lord, we are too busy in the wrong things.”
In the affection of Christ Jesus,
Pastor Jim