Are you busy with the things of the Lord or with the Lord of the things?

Luke 10:38-42

 As they continued their travel, Jesus entered a village. A woman by the name of Martha welcomed him and made him feel quite at home. 39 She had a sister, Mary, who sat before the Master, hanging on every word he said. 40 But Martha was pulled away by all she had to do in the kitchen. Later, she stepped in, interrupting them. "Master, don't you care that my sister has abandoned the kitchen to me? Tell her to lend me a hand." 41 The Master said, "Martha, dear Martha, you're fussing far too much and getting yourself worked up over nothing. 42 One thing only is essential, and Mary has chosen it--it's the main course, and won't be taken from her."

Food for thought!

We all have a Mary heart, but we’re living in a Martha world. We all have ever been in the same situation whereby we ignore the Word of God, not because it unimportant but because, like Martha, there’s things to be done. We all know that although we can submerge ourselves into God's Word, at the end of the day, we can’t understand how that time spent will get the bills paid, the house cleaned, the grocery shopping done, the yard work finished, the family fed, or the kids ready for bed.

The question we have to ask is the same question Martha asked. "Master, Don’t you care?" The answer is not what we expect. In essence, Jesus says, “Stop worrying. Quit being upset. Just come into my presence. Just spend time with me. I’ll give you peace and rest from your burdens.” 

Martha, like so many of us, was pulled away by all she had to do; she had gotten distracted by her job. We can’t fault Martha. After all, she was the one who invited Jesus into her home in the first place. This said, Martha was missing the point by missing Jesus. Jesus helps us keep things in perspective. The things of this life that cause us so much worry and confusion suddenly become irrelevant when we’re in the presence of the Lord. 

You see, what Martha was doing was “essential” and what Mary was doing was “eternal.” That time Mary would spend with Jesus could never be taken from her. Martha’s efforts would be consumed and forgotten within hours. Jesus reminds Martha and us that “Only one thing matters . . . and that’s being here, at My feet, in My presence.” The message is loud and clear. We can’t allow ourselves to be weighed down and distracted by many things.

If you’re finding yourself stressed out; if you’re finding yourself angry with others for not doing their share; when you wake up in the middle of the night to despair about whether “things” will ever get done . . . don’t continue to neglect yourself physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Stop and sit in the presence of God. Take a moment to re-examine why you’re doing what you’re doing. 

Ask yourself if you’re spending your time on the things that will last? The things that “cannot be taken away from you ?” Examine yourself if you are serving the things of the Lord, or the Lord of the things? What matters to Him is that you take the time to simply enjoy His presence. When daily life is frantic and out of control, when worry consumes you and you’re struggling just to make it through, Jesus says, “There’s only one thing that matters . . . and I’m right here in front of you.”