This past Sunday morning I had just finished getting ready for my responsibilities at the Corps, and had just sat down to read some Scripture and pray. Feeling a little rushed, my mind fled directly to the story of Martha and Mary when Jesus comes over to their house.
38 As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. 39 She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. 40 But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”
41 “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, 42 but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:38-42)
I can so easily identify with Martha. I get lost in preparation easily. I get lost in “lively but meaningless activity” as the dictionary would say. So much so that certain things that were important become meaningless. Reading the Bible daily becomes a checklist, and practicing worship songs becomes a meeting.
There’s a big difference between going to church, and sitting at the feet of Jesus. There is a huge difference between reading the Bible, and listening to what God is saying to you. There’s a huge difference between singing worship songs, and actually being transformed by the power and presence of God.
It’s pretty ridiculous that my instinct is to figure out what sort of things I can do to prevent busyness. It’s actually really ironic that I would ask myself, “What am I DOING to make sure I am not DOING too much?” Instead, maybe the question should be, “What can I NOT DO to make sure I am ‘being’ in the presence of God?”
(photo from madmolecule)