Tuesday, May 19, 2009

I'm a Martha.

No, I'm not a cooking, or decorating, or DIY wizard, although the Martha that I'm thinking of did share some of those ambitions. For some reason, I've been thinking about the book of Luke a lot lately, and especially about the story of Mary and Martha. For anyone who might not be familiar, here's the story:

As Jesus and the disciples continued on their way to Jerusalem, they came to a certain village where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. Her sister, Mary, sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what he taught. But Martha was distracted by the big dinner she was preparing. She came to Jesus and said, “Lord, doesn’t it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me.”

But the Lord said to her, “My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:38-42 NLT.

In reading this story, I always really relate to Martha--I often go through life worrying about everything and trying to make everything perfect. I get upset if I can't fulfil the role that I've defined for myself in which I'm the perfect wife who goes to work, keeps the house clean, and serves at least one hot meal a day, all the while making sure that we've worked out the logistics of life, in terms of making sure that we see our families and friends at proper intervals, while occasionally still balancing with time just for ourselves. My days feel absolutely packed to the brim with trivial tasks and things that I feel like I need to do, but on a day to day basis, my life has very little focus on God. Sure, I listen to KLOVE on the drive to work, but do I really study the Word? Do I really turn to God when I'm having a difficult time? I'm ashamed that I don't, at least not as often as I'd like.

Upon reading this again, I'm struck by the fact that not only is Jesus telling Martha that it's important to make God a part of her life, but He's even telling her that there is no need to worry about anything else besides being close to and listening to God. As the self-proclaimed Queen of Worrying, that's a hard message for me, but I'm praying this week that I'll be able to recognize when something is causing me worry and anxiety, and that rather than keep it to myself, I'll turn to God with it, and trust that everything will work out for the best, even if it isn't the same way that I thought it would work out.

4 comments:

  1. This really hits home for me. I'm a lot like that. I worry so much about all the small details, that I forget about what really matters. Thanks for posting this!

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  2. Thanks for posting this! This is something I also struggle with on a daily basis. It is a constant battle for me, so this is a good reminder. Thanks!!

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  3. Hope you have a great Memorial Day weekend too! I loved this post by the way, I worry about everything! :-) Way to inspire people!

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  4. You might not like this- but here goes . . .

    Jesus always kinda made me mad in this passage. Maybe I am defensive because I get caught up in the small stuff- but there is just something about it. Martha is upset- she wants help- and Jesus doesn't comfort her and say "thanks for what you have done, but its not important, come be with me." Instead he scolds her. What is that about?

    Also, what Jesus says feels a little cocky. I highly doubt that the historical person of Jesus did any cooking or cleaning in his lifetime- so when he scolds Martha, I feel like he almost just expects/assumes that food magically appears on the table for him to eat (like the fish and loaves maybe?) And Maybe Jesus could just make food appear and so Martha shouldn't have been making food- but Jesus could have been nicer about it.

    I know that Luke is the least kind in the portrayal of women, but this passage always gave me a bad vibe. I just didn't really like the Jesus it portrayed. But I am glad you like it- that is the magic of the text, eh?

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