Mrs Paula Rimes
Pastor's Wife
Gospel Light Baptist Church
Tuscaloosa, AL
"Trained to be a Martha...but I'm supposed to be a Mary"
Confession time...I like to be busy! I like to be involved with everything going on in our church. I teach Sunday School, play the piano, and teach a Wednesday night kid's class. I clean the church, help with yard work, and do the secretarial responsibilities. I visit a bus route, go teen soul-winning, and work in our Nursing Home ministry. I plan the Ladies Conference trips, go with the teens to Youth Conference, and I've spent the past 11 summers as a camp counselor. I spend countless hours planning VBS, as well as doing fundraising to get all those young people to camp and Youth Conference. I do all of this while homeschooling my 4 children and TRYING (I emphasize trying!!) to keep up with all of my responsibilities as wife and mother. If you're like me, a great emphasis has been put on being busy serving the Lord.
Several years ago though, as I was reading through the book of Luke, I came across the story of Jesus visiting in the home of Mary and Martha. You know the story. Martha is busy in the kitchen, preparing a meal for Jesus.
I often imagine how I would behave if Jesus was coming to my house for lunch. I'd want the table set just perfectly. I'd put out my best dishes on which I would serve the most delicious meal I know how to fix. (My best dish is pork chops, but since He's a Jew, I'd probably have to rethink that.) The house is as clean as can be, because Jesus is coming. When He arrived, we'd usher Him into our living room, where my girls would offer him a drink. My husband (because he's a better Christian than me) would most certainly sit there quietly hanging on His every word, while I'm running around the kitchen making sure everything is just perfect. I'm a Martha!!
Martha is a servant. She wants to serve Jesus. She loves Him and wants everything to be just perfect for Him. She finds herself frustrated with those around her, who aren't as busy serving as she is. So much frustrated, that she complains to her Lord. His response is a reprimand.
Luke 10:41-42 "And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her."
I don't think that the Lord was telling her not to serve, but that her service had taken an improper place in her life. Her service wasn't supposed to take the place of her time spent with the Saviour. As I read this passage, I became convicted. Had I done the same thing? Had the busy-ness of serving Jesus kept me from time that should have been spent sitting at the feet of Jesus? I admit that in my life, I have had to adjust some priorities. I'm not trying to take away from those who are busy serving the Lord, but in His own words, "But one thing is needful..." Choose time spent at His feet!
Confession time...I like to be busy! I like to be involved with everything going on in our church. I teach Sunday School, play the piano, and teach a Wednesday night kid's class. I clean the church, help with yard work, and do the secretarial responsibilities. I visit a bus route, go teen soul-winning, and work in our Nursing Home ministry. I plan the Ladies Conference trips, go with the teens to Youth Conference, and I've spent the past 11 summers as a camp counselor. I spend countless hours planning VBS, as well as doing fundraising to get all those young people to camp and Youth Conference. I do all of this while homeschooling my 4 children and TRYING (I emphasize trying!!) to keep up with all of my responsibilities as wife and mother. If you're like me, a great emphasis has been put on being busy serving the Lord.
Several years ago though, as I was reading through the book of Luke, I came across the story of Jesus visiting in the home of Mary and Martha. You know the story. Martha is busy in the kitchen, preparing a meal for Jesus.
I often imagine how I would behave if Jesus was coming to my house for lunch. I'd want the table set just perfectly. I'd put out my best dishes on which I would serve the most delicious meal I know how to fix. (My best dish is pork chops, but since He's a Jew, I'd probably have to rethink that.) The house is as clean as can be, because Jesus is coming. When He arrived, we'd usher Him into our living room, where my girls would offer him a drink. My husband (because he's a better Christian than me) would most certainly sit there quietly hanging on His every word, while I'm running around the kitchen making sure everything is just perfect. I'm a Martha!!
Martha is a servant. She wants to serve Jesus. She loves Him and wants everything to be just perfect for Him. She finds herself frustrated with those around her, who aren't as busy serving as she is. So much frustrated, that she complains to her Lord. His response is a reprimand.
Luke 10:41-42 "And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her."
I don't think that the Lord was telling her not to serve, but that her service had taken an improper place in her life. Her service wasn't supposed to take the place of her time spent with the Saviour. As I read this passage, I became convicted. Had I done the same thing? Had the busy-ness of serving Jesus kept me from time that should have been spent sitting at the feet of Jesus? I admit that in my life, I have had to adjust some priorities. I'm not trying to take away from those who are busy serving the Lord, but in His own words, "But one thing is needful..." Choose time spent at His feet!
I'm right there.I am struggling to learn how to be a Mary. Thank you for the devotional.
ReplyDeleteI always struggled with this too. It's amazing how we realize what we are doing isn't always the best for the Lord or for our growth. Being busy seems right, but sometimes it makes us too busy to appreciate God himself. Great devotion.
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