Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to sit with Mary at the feet of Jesus listening to what he was saying?
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.”
Do you ever have those mornings where you wake up and there is just so much to get done that you get out of bed and go straight into tasks? Do you wonder how people can stop to read their Bible and pray when there just isn’t enough time in the day to get everything done? I’ve had those moments before. I’m definitely a task orientated person and there are days where I can get really caught up in ticking jobs off my to-do list but is that the best use of my time?
Every time I read this passage it is a reminder that while I am stressed and worried about getting many things done there is one thing that I should be doing that is the most important thing: spending time with Jesus. Oh how I wish some days I could be Mary sitting at Jesus’ feet listening to him teach. While we don’t have Jesus here with us in person to teach us in person, he has left us with his Spirit and his word the Bible so we can do this, we can sit at Jesus’ feet and listen to him.
In the past 6 months I have put in place some strategies to avoid jumping straight into tasks first thing in the day. Instead I spend time reading my Bible and praying. It’s amazing how doing this changes the way my day is set up and the mindset I have for the day. Having time to sit at the feet of Jesus and listen to his words helps me to have my focus on things above rather than the stresses of life. This doesn’t mean I’m never stressed by life’s worries but it changes my view of them.
Head: Do you think it is important to spend time sitting at the feet of Jesus each day? Are you more inclined to put your to do list before time with Jesus or do you put your time with Jesus before everything else?
Heart: How does sitting at the feet of Jesus and listening to his words each day change the way you deal with the stresses of life?
Hands: Is there a new habit you could form to help you put time listening to Jesus first in your life? For example do you need to do it before looking at your phone in the morning, or do you need to wake up earlier to have time with Jesus? It looks very different for each person so work out what works for you to put listening to Jesus as a priority in your life.
Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for Jesus and his words to us in the Bible. Thanks that we aren’t here alone but that you have left us with the Holy Spirit. Please help us to see spending time listening to your words as a priority for life with you. Help us to put you at the centre of our lives. In Jesus name we pray, Amen.
A song to listen to: Centre My Life
Emily Andrews – Living Church City South
