Doing and Going
So I had these thoughts about Mary and Martha. Poor Martha. Sometimes I feel like she is seen as the bad girl of the story since she was distracted and not sitting at the Feet.
What about us? Don't we often define ourselves by what we are doing for the Lord?
Don't we ask each other - "what is God doing in your life?" or "what are you doing for the Lord?"
Doing and going, going and doing.
I may have this all wrong. I hope not! That would be embarrassing, wouldn't it?! I am a learner just like you and these are just my thoughts. A million books/article/devotions have been written about these famous sisters. One year we read and discussed this book (click here) on a Wednesday night ladies Bible study at our church in Oxford. It wound up being one of my favorites
Let's consider Martha's point of view. Martha welcomed Jesus into her house! How exciting! There were so many things to get done! Imagine how much she wanted everything to be perfect for her Guest. Jesus traveled with an entourage, so there were plenty of hungry and possibly tired people that came with him.
Then of course, there is Mary. Can you see the sibling argument about to break out? You can imagine Martha running around washing the rest of the breakfast dishes, chopping potatoes, kneading the bread. Then she catches a glimpse of Mary. There she was (again), getting away with everything! Eye roll. When would she grow up?! Why did Martha always have to be the responsible one? With so much stress and frustration already building up inside Martha, it must have just burst out of her. Seemingly in front of everyone too, as all stress usually does.
So Martha complained to the Lord, probably the only person in the room who could tell Mary what to do, because Mary certainly wasn't paying any attention to her.
She said, "Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her to help me."
Can you hear the strain of desperation in her voice at the end of that last statement? I mean, those carrots weren't going to shred themselves for the salad!
But Jesus, ever compassionate, could see all the way into Martha's heart. He knew the customs of the day when guests came to a house. He knew the responsibilities of household management. He knew what was customarily expected of women. He saw her anxiousness and troubled heart, yet He wasn't in a hurry. There would be plenty of time for food and serving her guests. All those things would be taken care of later, but right now the most important thing was to hear what He had come to say and teach.
Do you think His voice was calm and patient when He answered her?
"Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary.
Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her."
I think his response proved that He did care about her. He stated that He saw her trouble and anxiousness, but He was not going to tell Mary to get up and help Martha at the moment. Maybe He wanted Martha to know that it was about her heart, not about what was on His plate. Martha had the same invitation to sit and listen or not, it was her decision. Did she let go of her responsibility and sit at the feet of Jesus? We don't get to know how Martha responded or how she felt. We don't get to know how Mary looked at her, how the guests reacted, or anything else about the rest of that day.
Maybe it is left open-ended for a reason, like a rhetorical question, what will you do with your invitation to sit and listen?
The world seems getting a mandatory "rest" from work, life, school, sports, etc. I realize this has caused strain on finances and family lives. I do not take lightly the reality that not everyone is getting rest, some working harder than they have ever worked before in their career. I also cannot unsee that this pandemic is causing much suffering in the world. I have looked a few of them in the eyes. So the word rest may not be appropriate, do not be offended. But consider this time, no matter what your normal looks like, the busyness of life has come to a screeching halt and we are asking ourselves "now what?".
Have we been running around anxious and troubled that no one else is "going and doing"? Do we feel like we have been the only ones serving? Are we upset and frustrated that "she" is supposed to be helping, but there she sits? Have we mumbled our complaints to God under our breath as we rush past others with a smile? Or have we voiced them loudly because we think if someone hears us, then someone will make a change? After all, we are doing the right thing, fulfilling our duties and checking boxes!
Do I think Martha is the bad girl in this story? No. I think she loved Jesus as much as Mary did. Her gift was probably hospitality or service or something else that is good. She was the one who invited Jesus into her home in the first place. When He arrived and all those people came with Him, the auto-pilot might have switched over to the mindset of getting the house ready for company! She was distracted. She was weighed down by all the things.
What things have been weighing us down?
Are all of our good things of going and doing and services to the Lord been distractions that we have forgotten to simply just sit and be enjoy in being God's child?
It is enough for Him that we are His children, that we are at His feet.
Are we content to just be in the presence of our Father? OR Do we feel we need to bring Him all the things we have been going and doing to get His approval? Do we remember that He delights in us and sings over us, just because?
Mary seemed to have discovered the secret.
It seems funny to be in Africa during this time. Our original plan for coming ended up a little differently and yet it was just right at the same time. I don't know if people see us a missionaries or not. I don't see us that way. We have always been just Marianne and Brent. But our friends here who are working as full-time missionaries - most of their work has changed, stopped, or is moving slower. Thankfully, Christianity is NOT based on works and what we are doing for Jesus. How does that knowledge affect us now that the world is in a in a mandatory "rest" period.
Have you discovered how to be the hands and feet of Jesus during the quarantine wherever you are?
Let's ask ourselves - is it enough for me to sit at the Feet? Can I let go of what I think it looks like to be a Christian of going and doing and simply be God's child by following Him in attitudes and thought or by letting my children see me loving them well and trusting God in a crazy time?
Do I remember that God can do His work without me? He chose you. He chose you not for what you do or how your serve, because it was always about your soul and heart, a relationship with you.
How do we store up treasures in heaven during this time? Maybe the treasures we can store up during this time are cultivating our relationship with God, we can work thru our strongholds, overcome fears, learn more truth and teach our families - husbands to wives and parents to children, encourage and pray for others - we have all the time for this now.
When this quarantine has passed, life may not return to what we know as normal, but we will be stronger and more prepared to go out into the harvest. I have been thinking over the past year and half that after a time of great rest, comes a time of great work. Who knew it would be that the way to prepare for battle is to rest. That sounds totally backwards, doesn't it. I didn't even plan to write it! HA! But if you're resting at the feet of Jesus - you'll be ready, for the battle is the Lord's.
What about us? Don't we often define ourselves by what we are doing for the Lord?
Don't we ask each other - "what is God doing in your life?" or "what are you doing for the Lord?"
Doing and going, going and doing.
I may have this all wrong. I hope not! That would be embarrassing, wouldn't it?! I am a learner just like you and these are just my thoughts. A million books/article/devotions have been written about these famous sisters. One year we read and discussed this book (click here) on a Wednesday night ladies Bible study at our church in Oxford. It wound up being one of my favorites
Let's consider Martha's point of view. Martha welcomed Jesus into her house! How exciting! There were so many things to get done! Imagine how much she wanted everything to be perfect for her Guest. Jesus traveled with an entourage, so there were plenty of hungry and possibly tired people that came with him.
Then of course, there is Mary. Can you see the sibling argument about to break out? You can imagine Martha running around washing the rest of the breakfast dishes, chopping potatoes, kneading the bread. Then she catches a glimpse of Mary. There she was (again), getting away with everything! Eye roll. When would she grow up?! Why did Martha always have to be the responsible one? With so much stress and frustration already building up inside Martha, it must have just burst out of her. Seemingly in front of everyone too, as all stress usually does.
So Martha complained to the Lord, probably the only person in the room who could tell Mary what to do, because Mary certainly wasn't paying any attention to her.
She said, "Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her to help me."
Can you hear the strain of desperation in her voice at the end of that last statement? I mean, those carrots weren't going to shred themselves for the salad!
But Jesus, ever compassionate, could see all the way into Martha's heart. He knew the customs of the day when guests came to a house. He knew the responsibilities of household management. He knew what was customarily expected of women. He saw her anxiousness and troubled heart, yet He wasn't in a hurry. There would be plenty of time for food and serving her guests. All those things would be taken care of later, but right now the most important thing was to hear what He had come to say and teach.
Do you think His voice was calm and patient when He answered her?
"Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary.
Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her."
I think his response proved that He did care about her. He stated that He saw her trouble and anxiousness, but He was not going to tell Mary to get up and help Martha at the moment. Maybe He wanted Martha to know that it was about her heart, not about what was on His plate. Martha had the same invitation to sit and listen or not, it was her decision. Did she let go of her responsibility and sit at the feet of Jesus? We don't get to know how Martha responded or how she felt. We don't get to know how Mary looked at her, how the guests reacted, or anything else about the rest of that day.
Maybe it is left open-ended for a reason, like a rhetorical question, what will you do with your invitation to sit and listen?
The world seems getting a mandatory "rest" from work, life, school, sports, etc. I realize this has caused strain on finances and family lives. I do not take lightly the reality that not everyone is getting rest, some working harder than they have ever worked before in their career. I also cannot unsee that this pandemic is causing much suffering in the world. I have looked a few of them in the eyes. So the word rest may not be appropriate, do not be offended. But consider this time, no matter what your normal looks like, the busyness of life has come to a screeching halt and we are asking ourselves "now what?".
Have we been running around anxious and troubled that no one else is "going and doing"? Do we feel like we have been the only ones serving? Are we upset and frustrated that "she" is supposed to be helping, but there she sits? Have we mumbled our complaints to God under our breath as we rush past others with a smile? Or have we voiced them loudly because we think if someone hears us, then someone will make a change? After all, we are doing the right thing, fulfilling our duties and checking boxes!
Do I think Martha is the bad girl in this story? No. I think she loved Jesus as much as Mary did. Her gift was probably hospitality or service or something else that is good. She was the one who invited Jesus into her home in the first place. When He arrived and all those people came with Him, the auto-pilot might have switched over to the mindset of getting the house ready for company! She was distracted. She was weighed down by all the things.
What things have been weighing us down?
Are all of our good things of going and doing and services to the Lord been distractions that we have forgotten to simply just sit and be enjoy in being God's child?
It is enough for Him that we are His children, that we are at His feet.
Are we content to just be in the presence of our Father? OR Do we feel we need to bring Him all the things we have been going and doing to get His approval? Do we remember that He delights in us and sings over us, just because?
Mary seemed to have discovered the secret.
It seems funny to be in Africa during this time. Our original plan for coming ended up a little differently and yet it was just right at the same time. I don't know if people see us a missionaries or not. I don't see us that way. We have always been just Marianne and Brent. But our friends here who are working as full-time missionaries - most of their work has changed, stopped, or is moving slower. Thankfully, Christianity is NOT based on works and what we are doing for Jesus. How does that knowledge affect us now that the world is in a in a mandatory "rest" period.
Have you discovered how to be the hands and feet of Jesus during the quarantine wherever you are?
Let's ask ourselves - is it enough for me to sit at the Feet? Can I let go of what I think it looks like to be a Christian of going and doing and simply be God's child by following Him in attitudes and thought or by letting my children see me loving them well and trusting God in a crazy time?
Do I remember that God can do His work without me? He chose you. He chose you not for what you do or how your serve, because it was always about your soul and heart, a relationship with you.
How do we store up treasures in heaven during this time? Maybe the treasures we can store up during this time are cultivating our relationship with God, we can work thru our strongholds, overcome fears, learn more truth and teach our families - husbands to wives and parents to children, encourage and pray for others - we have all the time for this now.
When this quarantine has passed, life may not return to what we know as normal, but we will be stronger and more prepared to go out into the harvest. I have been thinking over the past year and half that after a time of great rest, comes a time of great work. Who knew it would be that the way to prepare for battle is to rest. That sounds totally backwards, doesn't it. I didn't even plan to write it! HA! But if you're resting at the feet of Jesus - you'll be ready, for the battle is the Lord's.
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