by Lanre Orepo
“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.And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word.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. And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.” Luke 10: 38–42
I believe Martha has good intentions; she was a keeper and a nurturer. She welcomed Jesus and his disciples into her home and now strives to ensure their well-being. Hospitality is such a noble thing, especially in Jewish culture. Jesus himself demonstrated this through his teachings and messages. He commends the Samaritan for helping the wounded man (Luke 10:29). He also admonished his disciples to receive hospitality during their mission voyage. Luke 10:7. But with Martha, it was deeper than being hospitable. She was worried and distracted. She later became judgmental of her sister, Mary. She even accused her guest, Jesus, of not intervening.
Jesus wasn’t an ordinary guest. He is the only one who sees deeper into our souls, and he knows the missing link, even when we have a form of service full of ingenuity. When we are buried in doing instead of being, Jesus told Martha, “Martha, Martha, you are careful and troubled about many things.”
When the whole of heaven’s glory comes into your home, the blessing Himself comes to stay. Jesus, the author of your very life. The bread of life, the manna in the wilderness, the rock of the ages The mighty God. When he comes to your home, that’s not the time to be distracted, troubled, or worried about many things. Martha’s problem is that she lacked a revelation of who Jesus was. Jesus wasn’t your typical Jewish Rabbi needing food. He is the bread of life himself.
Worry and discontentment will deprive you of the opportunity to be present with Jesus. It is true that our present life demands that we get things done. We need to provide for our family, pay the bills, and go to work. As noble as those things are, the wisest thing is to make the Lord the ruler over them all, but let him be the supreme ruler of your life first.
Life isn’t wired to function with worry or distractions. Like Martha, you’ll start casting blame on others; you’ll soon start playing the victim and eventually miss out on the blessings of life. If all our activities leave us with no time to pray, be present with Jesus, and hear his word, we are likely to end up anxious and troubled. We are likely to be resentful of others, blame the government, and even blame God for our troubles. We might end up with a life devoid of love and joy.
So one thing is needful, celebrate the presence of God in your life. Bring Jesus back to the throne of your heart and devotion. Let the peace of God reign supreme in your heart and cast every worry out. Always remember while you sit in His presence, like Mary did. He can make bread and turn water into wine. He can command Manna to fall right into your house. He has all the power to make those bills disappear. He just wants you to be with him. He still does miracles; he’ll turn those tears into joy. One thing is necessary: be still in his presence and know He is God. Hallelujah.