“Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, ‘Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.’ But the Lord answered her, ‘Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.’” (Luke 10:38-42 ESV)
Was Martha doing something wrong? No! Was she doing something good? Yes! She was being a good hostess. She was caring about Jesus’ physical needs. But she was distracted from what was best. So she didn’t see that her sister had chosen the best, and so she fussed to Jesus about her. Her perspective was off. Again, what she was doing was good, but it wasn’t God’s best for her. And we, too, if we are not careful, can get distracted from what is God’s best for us while we may be doing other good things.
For God created all of us for a purpose. And for all of us who have trusted in Jesus Christ to be Lord and Savior of our lives, he has a specific assignment for us, the role that he has for us to fill within the universal body of Christ. And so he has gifted us with spiritual gifts so that we can serve him in the areas of ministry to which he has called us. And he called us even before he laid the foundations of the earth; even before he formed us in the wombs of our mothers. So we are all here for a purpose.
But life happens and situations come up and so we get distracted with this thing or the next, all of which may be fundamentally good in themselves, but they are not what God has called us to do. They are not serving his purposes for our lives. And they could be stealing time away from the Lord and what he deems most important. And so we need to get our priorities in check. And we need to spend time with the Lord at his feet inquiring of him as to what he has for us to do rather than us making those decisions for ourselves.
But we need to make our walks of faith in the Lord Jesus our top priority. Jesus has to be first in our lives, and doing his will must be first, too. And we should always be sensitized to his voice so that we can sense when the Holy Spirit is prompting us to go a certain direction and to not go another direction – both of which may be good, but only one is BEST.
[Matt 5:13-16; Matt 28:18-20; Jn 4:31-38; Jn 13:13-17; Jn 14:12; Acts 1:8; Acts 2:14-18; Acts 26:18; Rom 10:14-15; Rom 12:1-8; Rom 15:14; 1 Co 12:1-31; 1 Co 14:1-5; Eph 4:1-16; Eph 5:17-27; Php 2:1-8; Col 3:16; Heb 3:13; Heb 10:23-25; 1 Pet 2:9,21; 1 Jn 2:6]
As the Deer
By Martin J. Nystrom
Based off Psalm 42:1
As the deer panteth for the water
So my soul longeth after You
You alone are my heart's desire
And I long to worship You
You alone are my strength, my shield
To You alone may my spirit yield
You alone are my heart's desire
And I long to worship You
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZv3jzOTE70
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