But the Lord answered and said to her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things, but only one thing is necessary for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her. " Luke 10:41-42
Likeme you have probably read many times of the account of the two sisters, Martha and Mary when Jesus had visited their home. Let’s allow the Word of God to describe the incident from the beginning in John 10:38-40:
Now as they were traveling along, He entered a village, and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home. She had a sister called Mary, who was seated at the Lord’s feet listening to His Word. But Martha was distracted with all her preparations, and she came up to Him and said,
"Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? Then tell her to help me."
Notice Martha is telling Jesus what to do about the situation! Haven’t we all been there, including our dear brother Peter? Needless to say when we are telling Jesus what to do, instead of listening and obeying Him, we all lose the one thing He deemed as necessary.
Martha is the one who welcomed Jesus into her home. She is working diligently to prepare a meal for all her guests with no help from her sister. I believe Martha may have been the oldest sibling in their household. She was responsible and used to being in charge. She was doing a good work serving and feeding her guests in her home. The Bible tells us to practice hospitality in our homes.
1 Peter 4:9 commands:
"Be hospitable without complaint."
I believe complaining is a problem when practicing hospitality if not doing it as unto the Lord. I have had a lifetime of experience of practicing hospitality in my home after becoming a follower of Christ. It has played a major role in my ministry and continues to today. It does involve hard work, but I know from scripture it has always played a major role in the ministry of the church as well. However, because the value of hospitality has not been exemplified and taught in our homes, today fewer of our adult children are willing to open their homes to others today, and alot less ministry is taking place to our demise as a church and as a society.
Romans 12:13 while giving us a list in contributing to the needs of the saints, includes practicing hospitality.
Hebrews 13:2 declares:
"Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it."
I sense the compassion Jesus felt for Martha as He speaks to her as a mother speaks to a child she adores when she is correcting errors with good intentions displayed. This happens often in childhood as we lovingly and patiently mold our children into maturity.
This time, as the Spirit sent me back to these scriptures this week, I was the child and My Father was instructing me as His child. I had become like Martha, bothered and worried about so many things pertaining to the cares of life in such a time as we are living in. I became anxious as I listened to well-intentioned friends and family magnifying the signs of the times without magnifying the One who we belong to and the One who is in control.
The same voice who spoke to Martha, spoke to me gently and lovingly there is only one thing necessary in my life and yours. He offers us the same place Mary had wisely taken. We are to sit at His feet and listen to the one voice without error. I must confess I go from His feet into His arms and I lay my head on His heart and I listen. He wants to share His heart with all of us as He did with Mary, and to those who are willing to quiet themselves in His Presence to listen.
We are much more blessed than the saints in their day and time. We have Him living inside us through the Holy Spirit. I suppose that is why I envision myself in His arms with my head on my Father’s chest listening for His voice to speak to me. He often sends me directly to scripture as in this case, and speaks it mouth to mouth as He did with Moses. Numbers 12:6-8 declares:
"Hear now My words: If there is a prophet among you, I, the Lord, shall make Myself known to him in a vision. I shall speak with him in a dream. Not so, with My servant Moses, He is faithful in all My household, with him I speak mouth to mouth. Even openly, and not in dark sayings, and he beholds the form of the Lord. Why then were you not afraid to speak against My servant, Moses?"
I will never forget when I got a hold of these verses years ago! I cried out with all within me as I passionately expressed to My God I would never be satisfied with anything less than to be spoken to mouth to mouth as He described concerning Moses! Please know it was not from a heart of pride, but of desperation for more of His love. I can never get close enough to Him to be satisfied living in this physical realm on earth. But I know I will be fully satisfied when I am home, and you will be too!
1 Corinthians 13:12 proclaims:
"For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face, now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known."
What an incredible promise! We shall know Him as He knows us!! I can’t tell you what is specifically going to transpire between this present moment and arriving face to face before our Savior, but I do know where I will eventually be eternally.
The Bible informs us with it’s great prophecies. I try to understand them, but I don’t fully understand them. Perhaps you are feeling some of the anxiety and confusion I was, as we allow ourselves to focus on our nation spiraling toward imminent destruction coming from within. That is why I have shared this personal devotion with you this morning. We don’t have to understand everything. Jesus is telling us only one thing is necessary for all of us. We must not allow ourselves to become distracted from what we do know.
I know that the Father heart of God is speaking to His children who are not choosing the better part as he had spoken to Martha. The works are not as important as hearing His voice speak to you. He can accomplish the work. He already has! We are to focus on loving Him more than ourselves and our lives.
When we position ourselves to hear Him speak to us as Mary did, we will make it through faith in His love for us. When we allow Him to share His heart with us we will have faith and trust in His love over everything else.
We tend to place most of our focus on what is temporal rather than the eternal as Martha was doing. She was doing a good work, but not out of obedience, but from her own initiative. She was living her life more in her flesh than being led by the Spirit. How easy it is to become trapped in our self righteousness.
Jesus told Martha Mary had chosen the good part, and it would not be taken away from her. The "good part" of being a follower of Christ is allowing Him to love you, so you can love Him with all your heart. Our flesh wars against the Spirit. It will lead you into performance rather than a relationship with your Creator, and Heavenly Father. It will keep you busy and distracted doing good things rather than the best thing. Christ deserves first place in all our lives. If we choose Him we will gain our lives in losing our fleshly desires. Jesus warned us in John 6:27:
"Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you, for on Him the Father God has set His seal"
How far we have fallen from this command in America. The American Dream we have lived out before our children has been for the temporal in every aspect starting with education without the Bible. Screen time dominates our time in our homes with alot of worthless information. The Bible is no longer even found in most homes and if so has gathered a lot of dust! We sacrifice our families to the God of sports. What used to be an opportunity to build character and to exhibit true sportsmanship and teamwork has evolved into careers with ridiculous salaries and a goal of winning no matter how you play the game.
Being content with having a home, food on the table, and spending time together as a family is a thing of the past as we are obsessed with a desire for more. We are a very discontent society always striving for more, and never taking the time to enjoy what we do have. Without eating the true Bread of Life we are always hungry for more which leads us into the mentality of the mouse fiercely treading on the wheel of life going nowhere, and we lead our children into the same futile way of life, never being satisfied.
Let us look to Jesus’ instructions in John, chapter six, to His disciples
"I Am the Living Bread that came down out of heaven ; if anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread also which I will give for the life of the world is My flesh." John 6:51
"It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life. " John 6:63
John chapter six takes our dependency of the Spirit and intimacy with Jesus to another level that can only be discerned by the Spirit. I encourage you to dive in, and ask the Spirit to teach and lead you into the Truth that frees us from our flesh as Jesus conveyed to our dear sister, Martha. My prayer is that we will have ears to hear what the Spirit is telling us. According to Jesus only one thing is necessary in all our lives. It is not the works He desires. The works will follow, but the relationship must come first. If not, we will tread on the wheel of religion and self righteousness blinded to the truth. Satan is a great deceiver. We must eat the Word of God more than our temporal bread which we seldom neglect. We need eternal sustenance much more for our spirit that is eternal as Mary realized.
No one can rob you of the better part Mary chose, but you. It is a daily choice. Choose this day while you still can who you will serve: your flesh which wars against the Spirit, this world that is at enmity with our God, or the one true God of love who offers you eternity in His Kingdom of holiness and righteousness forever and ever without sin. He is going to make every wrong right! Please hear what the Spirit is saying to you personally. May we all choose the one thing necessary as individuals and as families.
In His love.
Teresa Roberts
Masterpiece Fitness
276-237-6680
Fabulous run yesterday running the High 5 Peaks 10 miler at Hanging Rock State Park. Great commradry with fellow runners, perfect weather, and always with incredible views! I always finish with a heart full and overflowing with gratitude to my Father for His grace and goodness!
