I AM A MARTHA!!

This morning we were reading in Luke 10:38-42, the story of Mary and Martha opening their home to Christ and His disciples.  It is a lesson that I have read several times and come back to a key note.  Usually I’m struck with the idea that I need to be more hospitable and more willing to open my home and heart to those around me.  The gift of hospitality is something that I used to enjoy in the past, but the more children we have the less we have seemingly exercised this gift.  Reading this passage this morning it struck me that I need to open my home and in turn my heart more.

As I continued to skim these short verses something else struck me, and it hit me like a lightning bolt.  As we go to kick of 2014 waiting on the arrival of our new son, I am a Martha.  In this short passage, Mary sat at the feet of Christ willingly and waited to hear what He had to say.  She clung to his every word wanting to not miss one piece of His wisdom, to really hear Him.  Mary was fully in the moment, fully enthralled, and fully engaged in Christ.  Martha was working; not just being with Jesus but working for Him.  She was, as the old expression says, running around like a chicken with her head cut off, instead of seeking to engage and BE with Christ.  Mary was WITH Christ, Martha was working FOR Christ.

Then it struck me.  I AM Martha!  I get so busy running and doing.  I jump up from my bed (well here lately I am more likely to roll out of the bed, but you get the point), and start my day worrying about my never ending to-do lists.  Laundry washed, dried, and folded……dishes done…..bathrooms cleaned…..meals fixed…..children schooled…..errands run……more meals fixed…..more laundry…..extracurricular activities taken care of……the list goes on and on.    Before I know it, the day has gotten away from me and I have not taken the time to BE with Christ.  Oh, I might do a small devotion.  I might read a quick snippet from one of my favorite author’s and say a quick prayer.  Yet, if I am being totally honest I am doing this because I have to, not because I want to.  I am so busy working FOR Christ that I forget to BE with Him.  I forget to sit quietly at His feet, with just my Bible, waiting for Him to say something to me.  I miss being in the moment and allowing Him to speak to me, whether it be the truth from His word or a snippet of truth from another person, I don’t try to listen to what He has to say.  I do my devotion to cross it off my to-do list and not to encourage a relationship with my Lord.  I am missing out on BEING with Christ.  This saddens me.

It’s the start of 2014.  It’s a time that most people make New Year’s Resolutions.  Truthfully, they are something that I don’t always agree with.  I don’t think that we always set realistic goals and desires for ourselves.  BUT I find myself thinking on how much I am like Martha and how I need to be more like Mary.  I think that I need to take out more time and BE with Christ.  I’m not sure exactly how that will look.  Truthfully this realization means that I need to change how I am thinking about some things (like Facebook and TV) and work on my end of the relationship with Christ.

I am starting 2014 out as a Martha.  My prayer is that I will become more of a Mary and that I will learn the value of just BEING with Christ every day.