Hello everyone! As I was looking back over my notes that were stuck in my bible I found these. Unfortunately, I didnt write down the preacher’s name that shared this. As a lot of you know, hubby and I travel with his job. We visit different churches depending on where we end up. So to the anointed minister that preached on this subject I apologize for not being able to credit your thoughts. But know that I was so moved by your sermon. I hope I do it justice by sharing.
Martha in the Kitchen
Martha was a doer, a preparer, and a server. She was a worrier, a planner, and an organizer. Martha was a leader. She was on a mission to serve. After all, Jesus was her guest for dinner!
Martha loved Jesus. She served Jesus and she owned it. Everyone knew how Martha felt about her Lord. Jesus was their guest. A guest in their house! There was so much to do! He had arrived and Martha was working hard to get everything ready for the meal that Jesus would share with them. There was food to prepare, water to fetch, and a table to set. There was so much to do!
Martha was in the kitchen, working her tail off. Martha’s plan was to serve her Lord. She was in the kitchen.
Mary in the Waiting Room
Mary was Martha’s sister, she was a seeker. She had one thing on her ‘to do’ list. She wanted to sit at Jesus’s feet and listen to him.
Mary was not the least bit concerned with all the distractions of meal preparations. Mary didn’t want to be busy setting the table and miss even one word that Jesus said. She was hanging on his every Word.
Mary loved Jesus. She too knew Jesus was her Lord and wanted to serve him. Mary was different from Martha. Martha was a doer on a mission. Martha was in the kitchen, but Mary was in the waiting room. She didn’t know WHAT he would say, but she refused to be distracted and miss it.
Mary was being still before Jesus, focused on him, waiting. Mary was in the waiting room.
Lord, Don’t You Care?
Back in the kitchen, Martha was working, stressing and worrying. She had good intentions. She wanted, no, she NEEDED, everything to be perfect for Jesus, and she needed her sister’s help. But Mary was in the waiting room just chilling with Jesus.
Martha was panicking, she needed help. She was aggravated with her sister, Mary and in her frustration says, “Jesus!, Lord, don’t you care that my sister is just sitting there, and I am doing all the work? Tell her to help me!” (Luke 10:40)
I can just imagine how that conversation would go today. Jeeesuuus, (I would whine it, because, I am a whiner) Looord, don’t you care? I need help and my sister is just sitting there, doing nothing! Just chillin out in the waiting room! Doooo something, make her help me.
The Good Part
But Jesus’s response was not what Martha expected. Jesus says 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.”
What was it that Mary discovered? One version says it like this – “But one thing that is needed, which will not be taken away from her (Luke 10:43)
What was the “good part” that Jesus was talking about? Martha should be commended for her serving her guest. But Mary chose the good part. Martha was concentrating on the process of serving. Mary was focused on the substance.
Jesus commended Mary for choosing to listen to His words, His holy words. He saw that Mary was soaking in His peace, His comfort, His counsel.
But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you. Matthew 6:33
Why is this the “good part’? The scripture tells us in Matthew 6:33, to seek FIRST the kingdom of God and His righteousness and THEN all these things will be added to us. What THINGS? The answer is in verse 31, What we eat, what we drink, what we wear! God knows we need all these things. He tells us not to worry or be anxious but to seek Him first.
Seek God First
Martha was trying with all her heart to do everything that she thought she should do to serve Jesus. She was a doer. A go-getter. A “lets get this done-er”. She was trying with all her might. She was doing her best to serve Jesus and she wanted Jesus to make Mary help her. I am certain that Jesus appreciated all that Martha was doing but saw value in Mary’s actions. He saw Mary in the waiting room.
Jesus calls us to be still before Him. (Psalm 46:10)
He calls us to seek Him first. (Matthew 6:33)
I am a Martha
I am the Martha in this story. Always busy trying to do everything, BE everything and be EVERYWHERE! I am in the kitchen doing, planning, preparing.
I’ve even been upset with God, (there I said it). There have been times in my life when I would think, “God! what are you thinking? I have done so much work and nothing is turning out like I think it should!”
I don’t have time to just sit and wait. I need to be doing something.
The thing is, Mary made time. There was a meal to prepare, water to be fetched and a table to be set but Mary didn’t care. Her focus was on Jesus. Mary was in the waiting room.
Maybe I should spend some time in the waiting room, seeking God first, before all the other things I do that I think makes a good wife, a good mother, sister, and daughter. Things that are all honorable and respectful. Things that need to be done – but only after I spend some quiet time in the waiting room.
Lord, help me to be like Mary and help me to learn to sit still before you. Help me to sit down and shut up. Father God, help me to remember to seek you first and to soak in your peace, your comfort, and your healing. In Jesus name.
This post will be linked to some blog parties. You can see where I party here!
Check out my ANGELS CARRY TOOLBOXES post
6 Comments
Leave your reply.