I'm not sleeping well.
I go to bed exhausted.
I know I've been awake in the night.
I have that heavy feeling.
What is keeping me up?
Luke 10:41
"Martha, Martha," the Lord answered,
"you are worried and upset about many things,
but few things are needed-- or indeed only one.
Mary has chosen what is better,
and it will not be taken away from her."
This verse has troubled me for many years.
I've attended retreats based on the verse.
Read an insightful book on the subject.
Still.
I am troubled.
These days have been busy with preparing our Guest House.
For putting feet on dreams.
Planning out details.
What are the goals of the this business?
How will things get accomplished?
Lists.
Painting.
Decorating.
Praying.
More painting.
Mixed into all of this is farm work, book work,
cooking, grieving, taking care of kids and preparing for winter;
just to name a few.
While I am at the stove I pondering these things.
"Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things,but few things are needed--or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."
Martha was at the stove cooking, planning preparing.
She had company in her home.
Her gift hospitality.
These folks were probably hungry.
They had been on a long journey.
And now.
They were in her home.
It was her job to care for them.
While I was cooking the notion struck me.
All these years it's been Martha "the doer".
And Mary, "the sit at Jesus feet-er."
While I was cooking I noticed my attitude.
I was stewing.
About this and that.
I was hotter than the kettle I was working with.
I was doing what was needed.
But. . . I was stewing.
And I thought.
THAT'S IT!!!!!!!!
While other's gone before me have probably made this connection.
I have not.
It's not what Martha was doing that was the problem.
It was what she was thinking.
It's not that she needed to neglect the house to commune with our LORD.
No.
It was her attitude.
The cooking was fine.
The preparation was needed.
But it was her heart.
She was stewing.
She was at that kitchen banging around.
Ticked at her sister.
Mary. . . was right at Jesus' feet.
Her sweet spirit in tune with the Savior.
Waiting to hear and absorb all there was.
Seek contentment in all you do.
When cooking or, ack, cleaning.
Where is your heart?
Do you do the task joyfully as unto the LORD?
Or are you spewing and ranting, slamming pots and stomping around?
There was nothing wrong with Martha and what she was doing.
It was the way she was doing it.
So, while I was at the stove having this epiphany
(and burning what ever I was doing).
I changed my attitude.
Instead of stewing about what everyone else was
doing. . .or not doing in this case, I looked to the Lord.
I closed my eyes, (might be part of the burning) and gave thanks for the opportunity to cook.
Yes.
I even thanked God for the opportunity to clean.
I slowed myself down.
Sometimes we get off track.
Jesus wasn't elevating Mary sitting as his feet while Martha was working.
He wasn't encouraging Martha to come and literally sit at his feet.
We're busy people.
There is work to be done.
He wants us in the midst of the work.
The work is holy.
He wants the merging of the two.
He will help us.
He's in the business of helping us; changing us.
Exodus 14:14
The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still."
We are called to be light.
Matthew 5:15
"You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.
Lauren Daigle
Salt and Light
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