Every family gathering has one. While everyone else is in the living room visiting, one person is in the kitchen. Basting the turkey. Mashing the potatoes. Getting more frustrated by the minute.
That was Martha.
When Jesus came to visit the home of Martha and her sister, Mary, Martha did what any good host would do. She went to work. There was food to cook, a table to set, and guests to serve.
Mary did something different. She sat down at Jesus’ feet and listened.
Martha finally had enough. She marched into the room and said, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”
You can almost hear the pots and pans banging.
But Jesus answered gently: “Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”
Now, let’s be fair to Martha. Somebody has to cook. And Jesus loved Martha (see Pray 4 Tears). It was Martha who later made one of the greatest declarations of faith in the Bible: “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God.”
But Mary understood something important. Jesus didn’t come to be served dinner. He came to be with them.
So, what is devotion? Devotion isn’t doing more for Jesus. It’s spending time with Jesus.
The dishes can wait. He’s in the living room.
Prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father, thank-you for wanting to spend time with me. Thank-you for giving me the devotion of Mary, so that I will choose what is better and sit at Your feet. Thank-you for helping me be still and know that You are God. In the name of Jesus, Amen.
Wikipedia: Mary of Bethany, Martha, Bethany
Look-It Up:
As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. 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!” “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”
He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”
Free Bonus:
Mary of Bethany later poured a pint of expensive perfume on Jesus’ feet and wiped them with her hair (John 12:1-8). The perfume was worth about a year’s wages.
Mary and Martha’s brother was Lazarus, whom Jesus raised from the dead (see Pray 4 Tears).