It’s easy to get distracted by things the world values. But with an eternal worldview, there’s only really one thing that’s important.

Luke 10:38-42

38 As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. 39 She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. 40 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!”

41 “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, 42 but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Before we came to Living Church, for so long we had been involved in churches where every Sunday was spent focussed on the things that needed to be done to make Sunday happen. There was crèche to run, craft to prepare, morning tea to set up, chairs to put out and pack away, a hall to be swept, dishes to be washed – always a job to be done that took you away from being fed from God’s word, and encouraged by God’s people. We were spiritually exhausted.

Here we come to a scene with Martha and Mary – 2 women who make very different decisions based on what they think is most important. On the one hand, we have Martha, distracted by the jobs that need to be done – focussed on the here and now, and how will this group of people she suddenly finds in her house be taken care of? On the other hand we see Mary, who knows she is in the presence of the one who will save the world. Accordingly, Mary puts aside the things of the world – comfort, food, busyness – and rests in the presence of Jesus’ teaching.

As our lives get busier and busier, there are so many things that can distract us. We strive after things like work, school, sports, family, without stopping to think how these things might be drawing us away from what is most important – our spiritual health.

There will always be jobs that need doing – Sundays take a lot of work to happen. But when we let the jobs and the busyness draw us away from being spiritually healthy, we become, in Jesus’ words “worried and upset about many things”. When we look at the world with an eternal perspective, we see that there’s only one thing that is important – our relationship with God.

Head: Think about all the things that create busyness in your life. Are they helping your spiritual health, or distracting you from God?

Heart: Where do these things show that you place the most importance on in your life?

Hands: Write down one thing that distracts you from God the most. Write down next to it, a way you can refocus yourself back on God.

Prayer: Dear God. Thank you that you sent Jesus to earth, to bring us back to you. Thank you that he teaches us what it looks like to be in perfect relationship with you. Please forgive us when we get distracted by things of this world. Help us to place more importance on our spiritual health, and our relationship with you. In the name of your son, Amen

A song to listen to: My Soul Sings – Delirious

Vicki Meehan – Living Church Creek Road