“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…” Luke 10:41-42a
Warren Wiersbe wrote, “Worship is at the heart of all that we are and all that we do in the Christian life.” This past year, God has been showing me that the most important part of our Christian walk is our intimacy with God—the quiet times of reading His word, talking to God in prayer, and listening as He speaks to us. If you do not have a quiet time when you get alone with God everyday, you are missing one of the best privileges of belonging to Him.
Two sisters and a brother, named Mary, Martha and Lazarus, lived in Bethany, about two miles from Jerusalem. They were friends of Jesus. When Jesus came to Bethany, Martha opened her home to Him.
Martha’s sister Mary sat at Jesus’ feet, listening to what He said. Actually, all three times Mary is mentioned in the Bible she was at the feet of Jesus. When her brother died and Jesus came to their house, Mary fell at Jesus’ feet and poured out her grief over Lazarus’ death. And, at a banquet, she poured out an expensive bottle of perfume on Jesus’ feet and wiped His feet with her hair in an act of devotion and worship.
Most women can identify with Martha. Everybody else was having a good time visiting with Jesus, and Martha was hustling around the kitchen trying to get the meal ready to serve. Many of us can probably identify with Martha’s irritation with Mary for not helping her. Ever been there? Martha was having a pity party. She had a martyr complex. Martha tried to enlist Jesus’ support. She wanted be appreciated. She also wanted Jesus to chastise Mary for being lazy. She said to Jesus, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do all this work by myself? Tell her to help me!” But it was Martha whom Jesus chastised, and He gave Mary His approval. Martha had an attitude problem. She could have been kind and tactful to her sister. She could have quietly asked her to help. Or Martha could have kept quiet and graciously served, considering it a privilege. She could have simplified her preparations and joined Mary at Jesus’ feet as soon as possible. But she was distracted by making many preparations, angry at Mary for not helping, worried and upset about many things, and feeling sorry for herself.
It certainly isn’t wrong to cook and serve others. Think how hungry we would be if no one did that! But Martha had a priority problem. Jesus told her that Mary had made the better choice of spending time with Him.
A Christian missionary and speaker named Miss Bertha Smith came to my church to speak at a conference we sponsored. She stayed with one of the ladies in the church, but she said she always insisted that the hostess prepare only a very simple meal so she could attend the conference. Wiersbe goes on to say, “Martha received Jesus into her home and then neglected Him as she prepared an elaborate meal He did not need. What we do with Christ is far more important than what we do for Christ. Few things are as damaging to the Christian life as trying to work for Christ without taking time to commune with Christ. If serving Christ makes us difficult to live with, then something is wrong with our service.” Unless we meet Christ personally and privately each day, we will soon end up like Martha—busy but not blessed.
Actually what we need is to be balanced—to worship like Mary and serve like Martha. Both are important. Charles Wesley wrote, “Faithful to my Lord’s commands, I still would choose the better part; serve with careful Martha’s hands, and loving Mary’s heart.”
Two sisters and a brother, named Mary, Martha and Lazarus, lived in Bethany, about two miles from Jerusalem. They were friends of Jesus. When Jesus came to Bethany, Martha opened her home to Him.
Martha’s sister Mary sat at Jesus’ feet, listening to what He said. Actually, all three times Mary is mentioned in the Bible she was at the feet of Jesus. When her brother died and Jesus came to their house, Mary fell at Jesus’ feet and poured out her grief over Lazarus’ death. And, at a banquet, she poured out an expensive bottle of perfume on Jesus’ feet and wiped His feet with her hair in an act of devotion and worship.
Most women can identify with Martha. Everybody else was having a good time visiting with Jesus, and Martha was hustling around the kitchen trying to get the meal ready to serve. Many of us can probably identify with Martha’s irritation with Mary for not helping her. Ever been there? Martha was having a pity party. She had a martyr complex. Martha tried to enlist Jesus’ support. She wanted be appreciated. She also wanted Jesus to chastise Mary for being lazy. She said to Jesus, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do all this work by myself? Tell her to help me!” But it was Martha whom Jesus chastised, and He gave Mary His approval. Martha had an attitude problem. She could have been kind and tactful to her sister. She could have quietly asked her to help. Or Martha could have kept quiet and graciously served, considering it a privilege. She could have simplified her preparations and joined Mary at Jesus’ feet as soon as possible. But she was distracted by making many preparations, angry at Mary for not helping, worried and upset about many things, and feeling sorry for herself.
It certainly isn’t wrong to cook and serve others. Think how hungry we would be if no one did that! But Martha had a priority problem. Jesus told her that Mary had made the better choice of spending time with Him.
A Christian missionary and speaker named Miss Bertha Smith came to my church to speak at a conference we sponsored. She stayed with one of the ladies in the church, but she said she always insisted that the hostess prepare only a very simple meal so she could attend the conference. Wiersbe goes on to say, “Martha received Jesus into her home and then neglected Him as she prepared an elaborate meal He did not need. What we do with Christ is far more important than what we do for Christ. Few things are as damaging to the Christian life as trying to work for Christ without taking time to commune with Christ. If serving Christ makes us difficult to live with, then something is wrong with our service.” Unless we meet Christ personally and privately each day, we will soon end up like Martha—busy but not blessed.
Actually what we need is to be balanced—to worship like Mary and serve like Martha. Both are important. Charles Wesley wrote, “Faithful to my Lord’s commands, I still would choose the better part; serve with careful Martha’s hands, and loving Mary’s heart.”
Father, may I always come to You to be filled with Your Spirit before I go out to serve You. Amen.
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