September 14, 2015

I’m a busy woman. It feels like I’m always a step behind. Like no matter how many things I accomplish in a day, there are many more tasks I didn't finish. And so, because of this frustration of drowning in To-Do’s, I feel like I’m always rushing. To see just how much I can get done before my head hits the pillow at night.

But some days, when my head finally hits that pillow, there’s a little voice in my head that says, “Am I missing something?” I bet you’ve heard the voice too.

Two sisters. In the Bible, in the book of Luke there is a story of two sisters named Mary and Martha. Jesus, their Lord, is coming for dinner! When He arrives, Martha rushes around working, preparing the food, no doubt with a desire to bless Jesus with a good meal and a nice environment. Mary, on the other hand, sits at the feet of Jesus, listening to His teaching.

Martha asks Jesus, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”

Here’s the important part. Don’t miss this. Jesus answers her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Did you catch that? “Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

What is He talking about? He’s talking about spending time with Him. Listening. Seeking. Learning. Loving Him. Choosing to put Him above all else. Before the housework. Before the school clothes, homework, making dinner, packing lunches. Even before the kids, as demanding and urgent as their needs can be. Jesus says sitting at His feet and learning from Him is better.

So what does that mean for you and me? How do we “Choose What Is Better”? First of all, open your Bible, even if it’s for 10 minutes before the rest of the family gets up, or 10 minutes before you turn out your light at night. The Bible is the Word of God. There’s no better way to know who He is than to read His Word. It’s powerful! It will change you.

Secondly, talk to Him, friends. Pray. You can talk to Him all throughout the day, while you’re doing those thousand things on your To-Do list. But also, making some time for quiet prayer is very precious. Consider it like making a coffee date with a friend, but you’re meeting at your kitchen table with God while your family is asleep, just to pray. Set a time. Talk to Him.

If you don’t know how to talk to God yet, here are some simple tips:

-Tell Him how much you love Him. Tell Him how amazing He is. It blesses His heart to hear it, and it reminds your heart just who your wonderful God is. He’s incredible! Don’t forget it!

-Ask Him for help. Maybe there are physical needs, like money, recovery from illness, employment, etc. Ask Him for spiritual needs too. Patience, forgiveness, wisdom, kindness, courage, etc. And ask Him to help you make time to choose Him.

-Ask Him to show you where you’ve messed up. Ask Him to bring to mind the sin in your life. We all have it. Because we aren’t perfect. Then tell Him you’re sorry for what You’ve done, and tell Him you will do your best not to do it again. And ask Him to help you! The Bible says that if you know Jesus Christ, His Holy Spirit goes with you as a Helper and Guide. He wants to help you avoid that sin next time!

-Ask Him to use you to do His good work in the lives of others. I recently heard this by author and Bible teacher Beth Moore: “Christians are meant to be profoundly effective.” If that doesn’t sound like you, ask Him for help in knowing how to be used by Him. He has created you to love Him and to love others and to accomplish many things for His glory. Ask Him for guidance and courage to do those things!

-And for Heaven’s sake, don’t forget to thank Him! Every bit of good in your life is a gift from God. And the hurtful, broken parts of life are still used by Him for beauty and good, if you let Him work in you. So thank Him! He has given you a thousand blessings, the main one being His Son Jesus, who died for you. I’ll say it again, thank Him!

OK, so I mentioned reading your Bible and talking to God, but what else? “Choosing What Is Better” also means seeking godly instruction. Attend church. Go to a Bible study. Read a devotional book. Listen to a sermon online or on the radio. Choose Him.

So maybe some of you are sitting there thinking, “Read the Bible? Go to church? Ain’t nobody got time for that!!” I hear ya. But look at Mary and Martha. There’s no question that there was work to be accomplished. But Mary CHOSE to set aside the work. To sit with her Lord. She knew that there is nothing more precious than time with Jesus. And did you catch that Jesus included a promise with Mary’s choice? “Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” When you offer God your time, to learn from Him, it will not be taken from you. Your heart will be shaped by Him. Forever. Every time you encounter Him, you are changed. For the better. I don’t think the dishes and laundry can offer you that same promise. So choose Him. Make the time. Even if it’s brief. Jesus says it will not be taken away from you.

Recap:

-Read your Bible.

-Talk to God.

-Seek godly instruction, i.e. church, Bible study, radio sermons, etc.

My house is a mess this morning. It was a crazy weekend, and there are dishes all over and laundry piles and a dirty bathroom. And today is my only day off from work, so I feel this pressure that all the chores need to get done today! And even if I work all day, it still won’t get done, so get going, Christi!! But…

Before I start all those things, I’m going to do my Bible study. And spend some time learning from Him and talking to Him. Because I want Jesus to look upon me and say, “She has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” -Luke 10:38-42