In Luke 10 Jesus visits the house of a woman named Martha and begins to teach. Martha, being the hostess, began to serve while her sister Mary sat at Jesus’s feet listening to Him. Martha, “distracted with much serving,” approaches Jesus and asks, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.”
Picture it. There’s Jesus filling the room with His teaching. Mary is at Jesus’s feet receiving what He is saying. And Martha is “distracted with much serving.” Jesus answers Martha swiftly, telling her that she is “worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.”
In five short verses we receive one vital lesson: ONE thing is needed– sitting at the feet of Jesus consuming His Word.
Is Jesus saying that we don’t need to do other things like eat or serve? No. What is clearly demonstrated, however, is that there is a ranking in importance and an order. God’s Word must take priority in our lives and no one can take that away from us.
As Job says, we must esteem God’s Word more necessary than food.
The world will tell you to seek YOU first and all your tasks, to-do’s, and desires, but Jesus says to seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness. Jesus tells us that worshiping at His feet and time spent in His Word comes first. Why? Because God’s Word contains instructions for our lives, His way of thinking, how to make decisions, how to relate to one another, how to schedule our time, and everything we need to be His disciples.
Mary reminds us that we steward our time well and live as a disciple when we put the one thing that is needed first.
Lesson 2: Time spent hearing from God takes priority over everything. We seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness so that we may learn His instructions on how to schedule our time, make decisions, think, and live.
Let’s pray. Lord Jesus Christ, thank you for the privilege to sit at your feet to receive your Word and hear from you. Thank you for your Word that is freely and openly available to me! Help me to keep you in your rightful position of first in my day, in my decisions, and in my life. Help me to treasure your Word more than my necessary food. Deepen my love and desire for time spent in solitude with you. I pray in your name, Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
Scripture
Luke 10:38-42 NKJV ”Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word. But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.” And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.”
Job 23:12 NKJV ”I have not departed from the commandment of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth More than my necessary food.“
Matthew 6:31-34 NKJV “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.“
Psalms 63:1 NKJV ”O God, You are my God; Early will I seek You; My soul thirsts for You; My flesh longs for You In a dry and thirsty land Where there is no water.“
2 Timothy 3:16-17 NKJV ”All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
John 8:31 NKJV ”Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.”
I have definitely been Martha at one time in my life. Those were some very tiring and exhausting days. 😮💨 but thank God for His Grace and mercy. 🙌🏾🙌🏾 Even Jesus went up to pray early in the morning and we know He’s our great example.
I always thought I ”got” Luke 10 38-42. I believe when I was younger I lived more as Mary, but reflecting on this lesson I realize i have become more Martha than Mary letting life’s stresses & demands warp my priorities.