Devotion: Only One Thing is Important by Bosede Santos

While ·Jesus and his followers [they] were traveling, Jesus went into a ·town [village]. A woman named Martha ·let Jesus stay at her house [welcomed/received him]. Martha had a sister named Mary, who was sitting at the Lord’s feet and listening to ·him teach [what he said; his word/message; sitting at a teacher’s feet indicates the position of a disciple; see Acts 22:3]. But Martha was ·busy [worried; distracted] with ·all the work to be done [the many preparations]. She went in and said, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me alone to ·do all the work [serve; prepare the meal]? [Please; Therefore] Tell her to help me.”But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are ·worried [anxious] and upset about many things. Only one thing is·important [necessary; needed]. Mary has chosen the better thing, and it will never be taken away from her.” Luke 10:38-42EXP

Who or what has your attention?

Our scripture is well known. One of those scriptures, which hasn’t stopped raising myriads of questions in my mind each time I read it. And each time I read it, I uncover new truths.

Reading this scripture on the surface, one might think it ill mannered of Mary to have onlysat down with Jesus, and not catered to His needs. The culture, after all, was for them to offer Him water to wash His feet at the very least. Luke did not record she did that.

But Mary, busy ol’ Mary! Hostess with the mostest! She hustled and bustled about prepping a fare fit for a King. And to that I would say, rightly so. She needed all hands on deck. Was that really a bad thing? Was it too much to ask for? After all, they could do the social chit chat in between moving the dishes from the kitchen to the living/dining area.

Jesus’ response to her complaintis a pointer to where Jesus’ heart lies in the matter. This wasn’t just a physical distraction Jesus was referring to here. I was more a mental distraction or applicably a spiritual distraction. The Greek word used here is from two root words which imply being entangled by something with the tendency to kill.

HERE BUT NOT HERE

What Jesus was referring to here is the posturing of our hearts. We are serving, but where are our hearts. We have a form of Godliness but are powerless. We are going through the motions of ministry and service in our local assemblies, but where really are we. Taken by fear, doubts, shame and guilt? Looking for the praise of our fellow beings? Or are we truly serving our purpose in God?

Mary was present with the Lord. She gave Him her undivided attention. She fixed her gaze on Him. She turned her ears towards His words and gave Him the place of importance He deserved in her life.

YOUR RESPONSE

• Time for a soul check. What are your motives for doing the things you do?
• Ask the Holy Spirit to show you where your heart has been drawn away by those things with the potential to cause your spiritual detachment from God.

Prayer:

Father, I thank You for always drawing me to Yourself. I ask, Lord, for You to again capture my heart and help me to fix my gaze upon You, so nothing in this world is more important to me than You. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.