Martha & Mary

I have always wondered about the story of Martha and Mary. It is interesting that we hear it from Luke, who was not even there at the time. Perhaps he heard it from Martha or Mary and it had enough of a impression on Luke, that he recorded it for us. The Holy Spirit must have really used it in Luke's life to teach him a lesson that he needed to learn.

Luke 10:38-42
    Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. [39] And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word. [40] But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. [41] And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: [42] But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her. 

I could understand if Jesus told Martha that there is a time and a place for everything. But He did not say we will do this now and that later. He said that there was only one thing that was needed: to sit at the feet of Jesus and hear His word.

Do we miss it today? Do we spend so much time, trying to do service for others, that we just do not spend the time with Jesus that we should? He does not say, do one first and then there will be plenty of time later to do the other. He says that: "one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part". What was that one thing that Mary did that was needed? She "sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word."

She spent time with Jesus, she was in a close, intimate fellowship with Him, to learn from Him. He was the teacher, the greatest teacher who ever lived, and she took advantage of that to learn from Him.

What is your impression of this story?



 

enjoyed the post. probably the impression that was speaking to me the loudest was the sitting at his feet. The having to humble yourself before you can listen before you can hear.

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"Blessing and honour and glory and power be to him who sits on the throne and to the lamb for ever and ever" Rev 5:12
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i think you've hit the nail on the head. Sometimes we are so busy with life (well, maybe not just about serving others, but other distractions as well like studying, playing, work etc), that we forget what it's like to just read God's word, listen to Him and enjoy the relationship with God.

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"Rich? More like mired in minutiae ..... In this case it was an indolence characterised by a pursuit of knowledge, a frenzied search for answers to everything, no matter the value of such answers. A civilisation can as easily drown in what it knows as in what it doesn't know."

- Deadhouse Gates by Steven Erikson

I think we all have a little of both mary and martha at times, but when we are at his feet like mary, and are totally focous on him,you can see as mary did that you don,t get those flustration and distraction as martha did, cause instead of letting things distract you from Him,let Him distract you from things. then you will have peace and not flustration.

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MAY I NEVER BOAST, EXCEPT IN THE CROSS, OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST.THROUGH WHICH, THE WORLD HAS BEEN CRUCIFIED TO ME, AND I TO THE WORLD. GALATION 6:14)

cool insight.

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"Rich? More like mired in minutiae ..... In this case it was an indolence characterised by a pursuit of knowledge, a frenzied search for answers to everything, no matter the value of such answers. A civilisation can as easily drown in what it knows as in what it doesn't know."

- Deadhouse Gates by Steven Erikson

Another translation says it like this:

10:38-40 - As they continued their journey, Jesus came to a village and a woman called Martha welcomed him to her house. She had a sister by the name of Mary who settled down at the Lord's feet and was listening to what he said. But Martha was very worried about her elaborate preparations and she burst in, saying, "Lord, don't you mind that my sister has left me to do everything by myself? Tell her to get up and help me!"

10:41-42 - But the Lord answered her, "Martha, my dear, you are worried and bothered about providing so many things. Only a few things are really needed, perhaps only one. Mary has chosen the best part and you must not tear it away from her!"

Amen and Amen to that! That is where we need to be staying at all times, At His Feet!

Interesting you posted this, because lately I have had that picture in my mind, so vividly, of one day literally sitting at His Feet on a grassy slope near The River and listening to Him explain Great Mysteries of which we have not even dreamed.

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"Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning." (Psalms 30:5)



Friends don't let friends die and go to hell

That would be awesome, can I go?

I have seen people so fully involved in church activities--being in this ministry and that ministry and always going and doing. They say they are serving the Lord, but they hardly have time to stop and listen to what He's telling them. It is good to serve, but not to become a slave of this service (I hope I said that right). We all need to stop and sit at the feet of Jesus and let Him refresh us and guide us as to how to serve Him next.
It is better to do one thing well, than to do several things in mediocrity.

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Never underestimate the power of large groups of stupid people.