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Do you ever find yourself overloaded with responsibility?
Do you often get distracted by meaningless tasks instead of focusing on the necessary more important issues at hand?
Do you tend to find your day filled to overfull?
Do you have a hard time finding space to breathe and rest?
Yes, yes I do.
I must confess, depending on the moment you asks me any of these questions, I would have to say yes. Yes, I do have difficulty taking time to just breathe and rest. I have a hard time not feeling the burden of responsibility. Yes, I often find my plate so full, I have no time for anyone or anything else. I somehow feel guilty if I am not doing something every minute of the day.
Luke 10:38-42 tells us about two sisters, Mary and Martha. One sat at Jesus’ feet just “Be-ing” in His presence and soaking up all He said and did. The other sister was busy “Do-ing.” In fact, the scriptures say, “Martha was distracted by all the preparations…”(Luke 10:40).
As I read these verses today, I was struck with this thought: Martha was so distracted by everything and the way things needed to “look” that she missed out on the main attraction!
The message translations says it this away… “Martha was pulled away by all she had to do in the kitchen.” And when she asked Jesus to make Mary help her, Jesus replied, “you are fussing far too much and getting yourself worked up over nothing.”
Ouch…
Can you image how Martha must have felt? She was trying to honor Jesus. She had opened her home, she welcomed Him in, and was preparing food for Him and those whom He traveled with. She had much to do, and fully didn’t expect to be doing it all alone.
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Can you relate to Martha? I know I certainly can. Although, whenever I read this before I always imagined Martha whining just a bit to Jesus … But I would never do that … hahaha.
Then there is Mary. Mary is the sister we are told was “sitting at Jesus’ feet listening to his teaching.” The Message translation says it this way: “Mary sat before the Master, hanging on every word he said.”
I find that I can easily get caught up in the preparations and “doing” things that I have on my “to-do” list. I just want to check things off and move on to the next thing I have to do. Which I will admit is not always the best thing. Sometimes I lose sight that life is happening, that Jesus is moving and speaking all around me, and I am too distracted to notice.
My natural tendency and yours may lean towards being a Martha, however Jesus longs for us all to be a Mary.
I admit that I have been so busy with tasks, preparations, and concerning myself with the way things look as we are preparing for Easter Outreach Events and Easter Services at our church that I have been missing out. I have been missing out on spending quality time with Jesus. I have been completely distracted by all the items on my “to-do” list, that I forgot He is the main attraction. He is not just to be the main attraction for Easter, but He is the main attraction every day.
He longs for us to sit at His feet. To hang on His every word, listening intently to what He has to say.
He longs for us to dwell with Him every day. As we do, as we make Him our #1 priority, He somehow expands time and all our tasks get miraculously done, or He shifts our perspectives to see the things that really matter.
Let’s all be a little less distracted today and be a lot more attentive like Mary.
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Do you wonder if God still speaks today? Do you wonder if He would ever speak to you personally? Do you long to hear the voice of God in your life?
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Debbie, this meditation on that well-known sister act reminds me of something I read recently (can’t recall where): If the roles had been switched and it were Martha sitting at Jesus’ feet and Mary in the kitchen, Mary would have gone about her duties with a quiet heart because the issue was the state of mind and heart. We bring that with us, no matter what we’re doing.
That made me stop and think about my own mindset and heart attitude.
Michele – Oh that is such a good point I hadn’t had really considered it from that angle before. It is definitely a heart attitude as well as a head attitude. Thank you for linking up this week.
When writing 40 Days of Lent I meditated on this portion of scripture about Mary & Martha. I believe a lot of it had to do with
“love language”. Martha’s was acts of service. Mary’s quality time. Jesus’ love language incorporates all 5. We have to discern for ourselves and the people we are with, what language are we going to speak to them in because we want to speak in the same language as our love; however, in successful relationships we must learn to speak in the other’s language to assure a well-balanced relationship. Mary chose well. Martha was “much ado about nothing!” Remember Holy Spirit hadn’t come yet to import such discerning spirits. I bet Martha was a servant to reckon with after the day of Pentecost. YES, LORD. Thanks for the linkup Deb. (this should be a blog post!!!)
Susan – I had not considered the love language portion. WOW that is a great revelation and it totally makes sense too. Thanks for linking up this week and for sharing your thoughts and wisdom here on the blog today.
Amen, Yes Yes….I choose to be more attentive Lord..
Thank you for drawing our hearts to the importance of listening when Jesus speaks.
God bless
Ifeoma – You are most welcome it is so important to listen when Jesus speaks. My heart needed to be drawn closer to being attentive this past week, and so I needed the reminder too. Blessings to you
Dear Debbie,
Thank you for these great words that bring confirmation of what the Lord has been speaking to me this year: Stillness. I have been stilled in body for a while now, but this year I am learning stillness of heart and mind. That has been an entirely different subject! 🙂 Thanks for this great link-up site!
Bettie – you are most welcome and I just love how the Lord speaks to many of us about the same things, but in our own unique way. Stillness in heart and mind is a hard one for me as well, thanks for sharing today.
My heart is crying out, “No no no, it can’t be possible I have slipped into the Martha role in these particular scriptures. I have worked so hard to be the Martha we read about in later scripture, more like Mary. How did I let this happen. Thank you for the reminder in your well written post.
Maree – my heart is crying right along with you…. My word for the year is dwell, which means be a Mary sitting at His feet not a Martha running around being distracted by everything. Blessings to you and I am glad you are glad for the reminder, I needed it too, so know you are not alone.
I was literally in the bathroom just thinking about this – how sometimes life overwhelms. Even with a Mary heart, it does, but the answer is found at Jesus’ feet. It gives us just what we need to go on.
Thanks for this reminder.
Nylse – You are very welcome for the reminder, it’s as much for me as anyone. And what is it about the bathroom? That is where all my good ideas and thoughts come from that I know are from God!!! Probably because its the only time I am truly silent in my speech and my mind LOL Thank you for sharing your reminder that we will find the answers as Jesus’ feet!
I know I’ve whined to Jesus often, just like Martha. I can definitely get overcommitted to my to-do list and overlook the more important things right in front of me. Thanks for reminding us to slow down and see Jesus.
Lisa – I am famous for overcommitting myself as well. I am working diligently to not to so, which is amazing considering I used to be a people pleaser. Slow down and see Jesus – that is such a great way to put it, thanks for sharing that here in the comments as well.
It’s so easy to let distractions creep in and keep us from quality time with our Lord. I’m trying hard to get back into a regular time each day and so far this week I’ve been able to do it. It’s so rewarding when we make that time a priority, and I hope to continue. Blessings to you, Debbie, and thanks for your wise words!
Oh boy Gayl – you are so right – “creep” is definitely exactly what happens when distractions come along. You are right, I always seem to get more accomplished in my day when I make time to spend with Him regularly at a specific time each day than I do when I let other things take priority.
I could definitely answer “yes” to your questions far too often! It’s so easy to get my priorities out of whack! We just never stop learning from our two first century sisters, do we! Thanks for hosting. Easter blessings!
Oh Donna – thanks for helping me to not feel so alone in answering yes to more than one… ok to all of the questions I posed. HAHA you are right – it is often so easy to let other things distract us and thank you Jesus that you gave us these 2 sisters to learn from.
I admit I am but having ADD has a way of doing that to you.
Patrick – I can understand that challenges of that, I think the point is we do our best to look to Jesus and have a heart that reflects that – He knows your heart. Blessings to you.