Press Pause and Press Into God
I love entertaining at my house, but I’ll be honest, it can also be exhausting! There are so many things to think about and prepare.
I have to make sure the house is clean, provide food and refreshments, and gather games, movies, or other sources of entertainment.
The work does not end when the company arrives, either.
Once the party starts, I always find myself rushing around, making sure that everyone has what they need and is having a good time.
Sara Claudia preparing her mantle for guests.
With all of this hustle and bustle, it is hard to even visit with my guests.
Sometimes, I just wish that I had a remote control for life so that I could hit the pause button and have the time to enjoy the moment!
In Luke 10, Martha faced a similar situation.
She had a very special guest coming to her home…Jesus!
Can you imagine?
I would probably be a nervous wreck if Jesus was coming over to my house for dinner.
Like many of us do when we are preparing for guests, Martha, even after Jesus arrived, hurried around in frenzied preparation.
Mary, Martha’s sister, on the other hand, was not as concerned with such tasks.
“Her sister, Mary, sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what he taught. But Martha was distracted by the big dinner she was preparing She came to Jesus and said, “Doesn’t it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me.”” (Luke 10:39-40, NLT)
Trust me, Martha, we can all relate to that feeling!
When our lives become busy and hectic, it can be easy to be overcome by all of the distractions that surround us. As a result, we can become disconnected from the people around us and even from God.
This is when we really need to press that imaginary pause button, ignore all of the distractions, tasks, and to-do lists, and press into God.
That is exactly what Mary was doing at Jesus’s feet. Martha, on the other hand, was so busy trying to serve, that she did not take the time to just spend a few precious moments with Jesus, listen to His teaching, and love Him.
A thick gray cross in front of blue skies.
When we read how Jesus replied to Martha, we can realize just how important Mary’s misunderstood actions were:
“But the Lord said to her, “My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.”” (Luke 10:41-42 NLT)
Over-preparing our homes for guests can distract us from spending time with our visitors. Similarly, preparations for our jobs, self-care, family, and other aspects of our lives can distract us from God.
Don’t get me wrong, these tasks are important and often come with the best of intentions.
After all, Martha’s intentions were very honorable, as she was focused on serving the Lord with the meal she was preparing. However, she was so concerned with serving that it was keeping her from actually spending time with Him.
I can definitely relate. How about you?
Even when I have good intentions to serve the Lord through my speaking and writing career, it is still important that I make the time to just sit at the Lord’s feet…and I do not always succeed at this, I’ll admit!
With our busy schedules, we really have to be intentional about hitting that pause button and taking the time to listen to and learn from the Lord through prayer, intimate time with Him, and by reading scripture.
When Mary made the decision to sit at Jesus’s feet, she showed devotion to Him above everything else.
After all, what is more important than Him, and what all He can teach us?
The Bible opened on a table with colorful leaves nearby.
