Martha, Martha, Martha!

To grow stronger in my spiritual life in 2009, I will need to more purposeful about choosing what to feed my soul.
There is a great verse about making choices that came to mind as I meditated on this idea.

Luke 10 : 41-42 ~

And Jesus answered ‘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.’
Now…I will tell you that for the longest time, this story really rubbed me the wrong way. I could completely understand Martha’s position. After all…someone has to make sure there is food on the table or we’d all be hungry. When guests arrive, someone has to see to their needs. If we all just sat around talking, nothing would get done. It’s just not fair to call out Martha when Mary is not pulling her fair share of the work load. Poor Martha.

Then one day God opened my eyes. Jesus didn’t say ‘Martha, you are fussing with serving dinner and setting a pretty table’. He said ‘Martha you are worried and troubled about many things…” Jesus was speaking into her life, not just the moment.
Martha was busy proving her worth, controlling the situation, desiring to impress so she could feel valued. Jesus is saying ‘Come to Me first. Choose Me first. Look to Me to find your worth. Choose the good part that cannot be taken away….choose ME. Then the other things will be taken care of as needed.’

Imagine if Martha had chosen time with Jesus first, along with Mary. They would have welcomed Him into their home and immediately sat with Him, talking about things of God. Gleaning wisdom and gaining eternal value. Eventually Jesus would have said…. I’m getting hungry, are you? The meal would be served eventually, with everyone pitching in. The table would not be magazine worthy, but to make it so would have been time spent on something with fleeting value. The meal may not be Food Network worthy…but making it so would have been time spent on something with fleeting value. Did they need a clean table to eat on and food that tasted good and healthy? Yes. Would this have been accomplished if they had all worked together after spending time with Jesus first? Yes.

Jesus has been invited into your home. Where do you start your day…at His feet or with the chores? Maybe you start at his feet and in His Word…but do you ask Him to direct your day? Or do you finish your allotted time with the Lord and then get consumed with the details of the day? If you were to miss your time with Him, or cut your time short to get to the chores that are waiting and calling…would you feel it?

I realize that I need to choose to establish regular meal times with God. Not snacks picked up here and there. Not sporadic feasts followed by times of famine or starvation. I need to choose to follow a regularly scheduled meal time and then listen to the cravings of my spirit when I get so busy I forget to sit down and be still; missing a meal.

So 2009 is a year to make better meal time choices ~ Body and Soul!

What is God asking you to choose?

God Bless and Keep You,

Tami