Striving to Be Like Mary in a Martha World

Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth. - Psalm 46:10

Devotion:

“As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, ‘Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!’ ’Martha, Martha,’ the Lord answered, ’you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.’” - Luke 10:38-42

I absolutely love the holidays, and I tend to go overboard especially at Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter. I bet there are other ladies and moms out there who can relate.

This Easter, I was determined to be less like Martha and more like Mary on Easter Day. I really wanted to reflect on the true meaning and joy of Holy Week and the resurrection!! I even asked my prayer partners to pray, so I would have some accountability. I was well prepared ahead, so I enjoyed every moment of the day with Easter services and with my loved ones.

I think one of the hardest things in the world today is being still. Our culture glorifies busyness. Our self-worth and importance are often tied up in how busy we are in this fast-paced world. FOMO, or Fear of Missing Out, is a real thing. Social media feeds FOMO because there is this comparison game relating to vacations, activities, sports, foods we eat, cars we drive, parties we attend, titles we hold, etc. Sometimes busyness can keep us from dealing with the hard things like grief, relationship problems, financial issues, etc. Psalm 46:10 tells us: “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”

Many women I have talked to recently have discussed how much influence their grandmothers have had on them. I thought back on why my own grandmother had such a profound impact on me, and I think it is because of the unconditional love she offered me, as well as the quality time. I will never forget that when I was a child my grandmother never failed to meet me at the door excited to see me. The other thing that stands out to me is she was very affectionate—generous with hugs, kisses, and snuggles. One of my favorite memories with her is walking in the woods picking wild blackberries and singing the old hymns from the little country church.

If you are feeling frazzled and guilt-ridden about your current unrelenting treadmill of activities, maybe it is time to seek God’s wisdom on how to slow down, so you can spend time on the things that have eternal value. We look to so many things for fulfillment in life—endeavors that we believe will help our children and grandchildren be well-adjusted and successful. In the story of Martha and Mary, Jesus again made it clear that the most important thing is our time with him. Jesus loves his time with us and with our children/grandchildren. He said, “Let the little children come unto me.”

Matthew 11:28-30 says: “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Moms and grandmas, give yourself permission to slow down and enjoy your family. There is a reason one of the commandments has to do with rest. God already knew we would struggle to slow down. Don’t forget even God chose to rest one day a week.

The quality time you spend together and the memories you make will be what is long-lasting in the hearts and minds of your family and will make a difference in their lives. Have fun with them, singing spiritual songs, praying together, reading together, and sharing with them the faithfulness of God in your life. Our homes are one of our greatest mission fields, teaching our children the love of Jesus Christ through our words and our example.

PRAYER

Dear Lord,

Thank you for calling us to be still and know you are God. Help us to surrender our hurried and worried lives to you, seeking your wisdom on how to slow down and savor the time we have with you and our loved ones. Help us to say yes to the best and no to the rest. Thank you, Lord, that your Word tells us if we “Train up a child in the way he should go: and that when he is old, he will not depart from it.” Help us take time to listen to your voice as you direct us on how to have the greatest impact for your Kingdom in our families and beyond.

In the powerful name of Jesus we pray,

Amen

Teresa Peden
Pastor, Recovery Ministry

Teresa Peden is the Pastor of Recovery Ministry. She has a heart for Jesus and showing his love to others that is evident in every conversation and interaction.

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