By Andrew Lancaster
Choosing what matters most…
Luke 10.42 “There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.”
Life can often feel like an endless list of responsibilities and things to do. There are meals to prepare, work to complete, people to care for and expectations both of our own and others which we need to meet. In the midst of all these demands, many of us can relate to Martha.
We will probably recall the story, Jesus visiting the home of Martha and Mary, Martha doing her hospitality bit and Mary listening to his teaching being a disciple of Christ. Martha becomes overwhelmed with all of her tasks driven by her need to provide the best hospitality that she can. Martha complains to Jesus, but Jesus gently and compassionately reminds her of the right choice to make at the right time.
How often do we find ourselves in the same situation? We can become so caught up in life and activity that we may forget to spend time with God. We hurry through our days carrying burdens, worries and, yes, pleasures too. Yet do we remember to ask for strength in our daily challenges, and to thank God for the many blessings around us?
Mary, adopting the position of the disciple, reminds us of choosing what matters most, and more important than our activities. How much of our time is focused on the ‘do’ rather than the ‘be’? Time spent in prayer, worship and scripture is never wasted, it is what strengthens us for everything else.
So many of our devices these days need plugging in and recharging, don’t they? We, as sisters and brothers in Christ are no different. We need to plug ourselves into God and take time to recharge and just ‘be’.
Today, if you feel overwhelmed, take a moment to pause. Take a time out. If you are watching the football you will have noticed the ‘hydration breaks’. As we are experiencing a spell of hot weather, let us take that hydration break, and as we do so, let us remember to sit at the feet of Jesus. Let his voice quieten our anxieties and pressures of the world around us and then we can face them with renewed strength and perspective.