Category: When God Speaks

Luke 10:41,42                                                 It’s the Main Course

“The Master said, ‘Martha, dear Martha, you’re fussing far too much and getting yourself worked up over nothing.  One thing only is essential, and Mary has chosen it—it’s the main course, and it won’t  be taken from her’” (MSG).

 

As Jesus and His disciples were travelling, they stopped at Martha’s house.  After they had been greeted, Martha went into the kitchen and began preparing a meal for them while her sister, Mary, sat at Jesus’ feet and listened to Him teach of the Kingdom of God.  After a while Martha got frustrated and asked Jesus to tell her sister to help her.  Jesus did not tell Mary to help Martha.  In fact, He chastised Martha for spending so much time making preparation instead of listening to His teaching.  He said that Mary had chosen the most important thing, and it “won’t be taken from her.”

But Martha was doing what was expected of a hostess, she was making sure that they were comfortable and had a good meal to eat.  She doubtless was making many foods for them to eat.  But in Jesus’ words, He was presenting the “main course.”

Jesus had been about His Father’s business at least as early as age twelve when He was found in the temple talking with the leaders of the temple.  I would love to have heard that conversation.  I’ve wondered how many of those leaders thought back to that day twenty-one years later when they called for His crucifixion.  Jesus did not participate in idle small talk—He was about His Father’s business—spreading the Good News of God’s love and the need for repentance.  They didn’t understand it at the time, but Jesus was also announcing the end of The Law and the beginning of Grace.  Forgiveness was no longer given annually with the sacrifice of animals.  Jesus was to become the Final and Perfect Sacrifice given once for all sins.

This is the message that Martha was missing as she prepared a good meal.  How often do we tend to acts of “busyness” rather than focusing on the Word of the Lord?  Do we really pay attention in church, during both worship and the Word?  Do we focus while we are reading the Bible?  Are our prayers mumbled in often repeated phrases rather than focusing on having a heart-to-heart conversation with our God?  There are times to turn our total focus on what Jesus called the “essential” thing.  Lord, help me to recognize those times and nudge me to help me concentrate.

Philippians 4:13                                                 When God Asks

“…for I can do everything God asks me to with the help of Christ who gives me the strength and power” (TLB).

 

Have you ever had a boss who asked you to do something you have never done before without being given instructions or training in how to do it?  I have, and it’s not fun.  It can even turn out to be embarrassing or perhaps dangerous.  Someone who would do that to you is not a good boss and certainly not a friend.  I’ve often been asked to do something new along with training or, at least, instructions.  These situations generally worked out well.  The best times were when the boss worked alongside me and showed me the best way to accomplish the work.  I learned a lot in those situations and then became a more productive worker, one who felt appreciated.

When we accept Jesus Christ as Savior, we are going to be given kingdom tasks to perform, and that is to be expected.  After all, we have been given the greatest gift ever presented to anyone, and our desire is be asked by God to do something.  The newness of the experience makes us eager to do His work, and for most of us, that feeling doesn’t disappear.  Some who have been brothers and sisters with Jesus the longest are always asking God what they can do next.  They are good sources of encouragement showing just how much Jesus Christ is willing to take a person by the hand and guide him or her in the execution of the task.  That’s one of the great joys of being a Christian—working for the kingdom, having Jesus providing guidance as we perform the tasks God asks of us.  It’s a great time of growth—growth in our own walk and growth  in being useful to God.  Did you ever think that God would ask you to do something and then when you’ve finished, God would say, “Good job?”  It will happen if we pay attention to Him, seek His help frequently, and trust that we can hear His voice.  It’s a great adventure that God has for us.  First, we get the joy of knowing that we have eternal salvation, and then we get to work alongside others that we will know for eternity while being guided and encouraged by the Creator of the universe, Jesus!