My parents are great gift givers. My Mom gave me a beautiful necklace this year that says "mother...daughter...friend" It is a treasure and will remind me of her love and our friendship for years to come. My Daddy bought each family a devotional book that has been ministering life and peace to him over the past year. Jesus Calling by Sarah Young. I love relational gifts like that!
This week in the devotional I was reminded of the story of two sisters, Martha and Mary. I was challenged by Jesus to do the "one thing" that is needed. Ha! One Thing? I don't know about you but in the beginning of this new year, this new decade, my mind is full of things I need to do. Things I desire to do. Things that should have already been done. How do I settle into this ONE needed thing? I'm not sure, but I think I will make it my theme for 2010.
Read it for yourself in Luke 10:38-42
Poor Sister Martha gets a bad rap, but I think she was really a lovely girl. It was Martha that opened her home to Jesus. It was Martha who made the preparations that HAD to be made. Martha was a get-it-done kind of girl! To be truthful, I wouldn't say that I'm a get-it-done kind of girl. My mom - yes. My sister-in-law - yes. Me - sadly, no. Hence my list of things to finally get to this year! Still, I don't think it was the task at hand that was Martha's downfall. The passage says she was distracted by these preparations. Jesus said to her "you are worried and upset about many things." It was Martha's posture not her position that got her in trouble.
I think our natural tendency is to become more and more like Martha. My heart longs to her Jesus say "Lynn has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her." How sweet would that be? So what is this better thing that Mary chose? Mary sat at the Lord's feet listening to what He said. Sit and Listen. It sounds so simple, like it is not a hard thing Jesus is asking just, sit and listen. But in the swirling to-do lists of my mind it feels as hard as granite.
Practically, what do I need to accomplish this one thing? Well, how about a chair? A nice comfy chair. A little quiet, maybe? That would be nice. And my eyes and ears tuned in to the Words of Jesus. Jesus promised to be with me, and he is IN me. The only barrier to his presence, to the place at his feet, is in my mind. The veil was torn! His words are Living Words waiting to be heard fresh and new with each turn of a page.
Of all the things before you this year, all of the good things, needful things, things that have to be done...don't loose sight of this one BETTER thing.
Sit and Listen.
This week in the devotional I was reminded of the story of two sisters, Martha and Mary. I was challenged by Jesus to do the "one thing" that is needed. Ha! One Thing? I don't know about you but in the beginning of this new year, this new decade, my mind is full of things I need to do. Things I desire to do. Things that should have already been done. How do I settle into this ONE needed thing? I'm not sure, but I think I will make it my theme for 2010.
Read it for yourself in Luke 10:38-42
Poor Sister Martha gets a bad rap, but I think she was really a lovely girl. It was Martha that opened her home to Jesus. It was Martha who made the preparations that HAD to be made. Martha was a get-it-done kind of girl! To be truthful, I wouldn't say that I'm a get-it-done kind of girl. My mom - yes. My sister-in-law - yes. Me - sadly, no. Hence my list of things to finally get to this year! Still, I don't think it was the task at hand that was Martha's downfall. The passage says she was distracted by these preparations. Jesus said to her "you are worried and upset about many things." It was Martha's posture not her position that got her in trouble.
I think our natural tendency is to become more and more like Martha. My heart longs to her Jesus say "Lynn has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her." How sweet would that be? So what is this better thing that Mary chose? Mary sat at the Lord's feet listening to what He said. Sit and Listen. It sounds so simple, like it is not a hard thing Jesus is asking just, sit and listen. But in the swirling to-do lists of my mind it feels as hard as granite.
Practically, what do I need to accomplish this one thing? Well, how about a chair? A nice comfy chair. A little quiet, maybe? That would be nice. And my eyes and ears tuned in to the Words of Jesus. Jesus promised to be with me, and he is IN me. The only barrier to his presence, to the place at his feet, is in my mind. The veil was torn! His words are Living Words waiting to be heard fresh and new with each turn of a page.
Of all the things before you this year, all of the good things, needful things, things that have to be done...don't loose sight of this one BETTER thing.
Sit and Listen.
1 comment:
"It was Martha's posture not her position that got her in trouble."
Love that. Thankfully our posture is, most of the time, easier to correct than our positions. "Sit up straight!" comes to mind when I think of correcting my posture, but in this context "Sit and listen!" rings more true. Then, of course, there's "Sit and spin!" but I'm not sure where that fits. :)
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