Rev. Tracey R. Grosse
Jan 15, 20184 min
Dear Blessed and Highly Favored,
Some days I am overwhelmed by the long list of tasks I hold myself to, especially when the unexpected happens.
I confess, there are times, many times actually, when I put enormous pressure on myself and in so doing there are occasions when I do not experience the joy of serving the Lord as much I should. During such moments, I find myself fussing and fuming over the least insignificant thing.
Yes, if you have not already figured it out, I am without a doubt a committed member of the Martha club. Do I have a witness? Seriously, we live in a fast paced and a fast changing world. It seems impossible to keep our heads above water. Much like the world, we often define our value, or self-worth, based on the things we have, the things we do, the company we keep, and/or how busy we are. As a figure of speech, I often describe my life as one living on a never ending merry-go-round that goes round and round and never stops.
According to Luke 10:38-42, Martha appears to be the perfect hostess compared to her sister Mary. I can imagine Martha the multi-tasker making sure every detail was taken care of. After all, we cannot give our guests something to talk about. Martha was busy doing; she was busy keeping herself busy. Mary, on the contrary, was off doing her own thing. How dare you Mary? Maybe, just maybe, Mary was not aware of the distress her sister was in.
Surely, Mary must have been aware she was getting on your sister’s last nerve. Martha was growing weary in her doing. After Martha did enough bickering, her only recourse was to go to the one person who would listen to her. She complained to Jesus about Mary not helping her. Unfortunately, she received a response she was not quite ready to receive. Was not Martha’s busyness, her fussing and fuming, all because she wanted to serve her Lord well. She desired to give her Lord and her guests the best. Was Martha not being a humble servant? If Martha did not take action, then who would do what needed to be accomplished? All Martha wanted was some empathy. All Martha wanted was a little respect.
My dear sister(s), we sometimes keep ourselves busy doing many things. Maybe this is a place where we feel safe and in control. Was Jesus disappointed in Martha? Was Martha wrong for what she was doing? Are we wrong for what we do in the service we give? Jesus was certainly not disappointed in Martha, rather He challenged her to enlarge her understanding of what it means to serve Him. Sometimes we are guilty of focusing too much attention on the wrong things. This is probably why we might feel unappreciated or overworked in the service we give. If someone would just say thank you.
Jesus valued and loved Martha just as much as he valued and loved Mary. Martha was not a bad person. Jesus values and loves us too. In actual fact, Jesus was not telling Martha she was wrong. I believe Martha was doing what she thought was best. She did what she knew. Jesus was leading Martha to a place where she could experience the great joy of serving the Lord.
Our service to God, should never be a chore or something we must do.
We are to serve the Lord with gladness
(Psalm 100:2a).
We experience the joy of serving the Lord when we keep Jesus at the centre of what we do.
In whatever we do we are to do it as unto the Lord (Colossians 3:23).
We cannot please God with our works. Matthew 6:33 says, “But seek first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” We must keep the focus on Jesus.
Jesus desires to have a growing relationship with us. Mary sat at Jesus feet and heard His word. With contentment, she allowed Jesus to pour into her. Mary refused to hide behind her busyness. She purposely took the time to be with her Lord, even despite her sister’s harsh criticism. Mary too was serving. Jesus, told Martha, Mary has chosen “the good part which will not be taken away from her”. Mary did the one thing we all need to do. We all need to be about our Father’s business free from all the distractions. Our being with Jesus empowers us to be His ambassadors in a world that needs to know Jesus.
Dear blessed and highly favored one, when was the last time you had a meaningful encounter with the Lord. When was the last time you felt joy in serving? When was the last time you were aware of the Lord’s presence in your life? Choose Jesus above all else. Remember God loves spending time with His children.
How long has it been since you poured out yourself to the Lord? Remember, our time with God is not wasted time. May the light of God’s love shine in you and through you. The more time we choose to spend in God’s presence, the deeper we grow in our relationship with Him and with others, which is definitely the good part Jesus makes reference to. God wants to bless you beyond measure, because this is what He does. Remember it is only what we do for the Lord that brings us eternal blessings.
Sincerely,
Rev. Tracey R. Grosse