Be Encouraged,  Bible,  Life

Get Out of the Kitchen

February 13, 2019

What do you have to do today? Now, what do you need to do today? Think about these questions for a moment. They sound so similar but they are very different. Sometimes it’s so easy to get caught up in the things we have to do that we don’t leave enough time to do what’s needed.

Having A Mary Heart in a Martha World

Years ago I read the book, Having A Mary Heart in a Martha World I would highly recommend everyone reading this book. I feel like I need to dig it out and read it again. So many times we get focused on the busyness of life and the things that have to get done that we don’t make time for the things we need to do.

We have to feed the kids, we have to go to work, we have to clean the house, we have to go to the grocery store, we have to get the kids to football practice or ballet lessons, we have to pay the bills….. the list could go on and on. But we need to spend time in fellowship, prayer and Bible study. So when life gets crazy, what gets left out? Is it the things we have to do or need to do? Unfortunately, most of the time it’s the very things we need that we put off. Why do we do it? Could it be that we don’t see instant gratification in those things? I mean, when I get the dishes done I see a clean kitchen. It’s done, I see results now! But sometimes when I pray, those results aren’t so instant. Sometimes I may not see the answer for days – weeks or even longer. But I need to get it in my head that these things are still most important even if the results aren’t instant.

38 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.
39 And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word.
40 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.
41 And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:
42 But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her. Luke 10:38-42 KJV

Martha is busy around the house, trying to get everything just right. I can totally relate to this! When I have a family dinner, I try to make things look nice and make the best meal possible. I get out the nice dishes, hide as much clutter as I possibly can and try to make things “just right”. And this is for my family, people that know me and have lived with me! I can’t imagine having Jesus, in person, in my house, sitting at my dinner table! I mean come on, as women we would all go OCD for this, right!?. Really, I would be cleaning every single thing in sight, getting out the best dishes, polishing the silverware, cutting fresh flowers and trying to make sure everything was absolutely perfect. I probably wouldn’t sleep for a week, I’d be barking orders to my husband and getting my kids to help me. I mean it’s JESUS and He’s coming to our house for dinner! Everything needs to be PERFECT! Right?!?!

Being the oldest of 5 children I understand Martha taking it upon herself to get things ready for her special guests. I can imagine Martha in the kitchen rushing around doing everything herself , trying to get dinner on the table and she looks in the living room to make sure her company is comfortable and what does she see? Mary sitting on the floor listening to the men talk. What? Are you kidding me? You live here too, you need to get in here and help me. So she tells Jesus, “Don’t you care that my sister has left me to do all this work by myself? Can you please tell her to come help me out?” But Jesus takes Mary’s side. What? Seriously? Here I am trying to cook, clean and serve you, but you’re telling me she’s doing the “needful” thing?!

The Matthew Henry Commentary says this.. “The one thing needful is certainly meant of that which Mary made her choice—sitting at Christ’s feet, to hear his word. Martha was troubled about many things, when she should have applied herself to one; godliness unites the heart, which the world had divided. The many things she was troubled about were needless, while the one thingshe neglected was needful. Martha’s care and work were good in their proper season and place; but now she had something else to do, which was unspeakably more needful, and therefore should be done first, and most minded. She expected Christ to have blamed Mary for not doing as she did, but he blamed her for not doing as Mary did; and we are sure the judgment of Christ is according to truth. The day will come when Martha will wish she had set where Mary did.”

Lord help me to remember the needful thing! Yes, there are things in this life that we have to do but God don’t let me get so busy with those things that I don’t take time for you. Sometimes we can be so busy “serving” Jesus that we don’t take time to “be” with Him.

It’s kind of like when I have my family to my house for dinner. If I’m not careful I will be so busy with the preparations and the cleanup that I won’t just sit down and take some time to be with my family. We need the time together to sit around, tell stories, laugh and play games. I don’t want to be stuck in the kitchen missing out on all the fun.

So let’s get out of the “kitchen” and spend some time with Jesus. Let’s sit at His feet and listen to His voice. Let’s spend some time in His word so we can get to know Him on a deeper level. This is the needful thing that Mary recognized.

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