During prayer time, my husband shared with our Community Group (Bible study) that I have several irons in the fire. One of these irons being the complete and professional remodel of the ABC Jesus Loves Me website. Right now everything is building and at some point soon, the irons will have to be pulled from the fire. Not necessarily anyone’s fault, just the timing of it all.
As a full-time, work-from-home momma of four, there is a lot to do. Since my husband works many hours each week away from our home, it is my responsibility to keep the house in order and manage the kiddos.
Even with his help when he is home, it can get overwhelming keeping it all together. And there are more days than not where things aren’t finished. This used to really, really bother me. Actually it is a continual struggle. So much to do, so little time to get it done.
Through a Bible study of Mary and Martha in Luke 10:38-42 (NET), I am learning that my focus doesn’t need to be on the list of to-do’s.
Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a certain village where a woman named Martha welcomed him as a guest. She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to what he said. But Martha was distracted with all the preparations she had to make, so she came up to him and said, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do all the work alone? Tell her to help me.” But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things, but one thing is needed. Mary has chosen the best part; it will not be taken away from her.”
My focus needs to be on the “one thing that is needed.”
But, Martha was working for the Lord? Someone had to make the meal, my heart questions.
In her book Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World: Finding Intimacy With God in the Busyness of Life, Joanna Weaver shares a thought written by Charles Spurgeon on this puzzling subject .
[Martha’s] fault was not that she served. Her fault was that she grew “cumbered with much serving,” so that she forgot Him and only remembered the service.
She forgot Him and only remembered the service.
Oh, how many times I forget this.
I get busy cleaning the house so the house is clean for clean sake instead of praising God for our home.
I get busy doing laundry and complain as it piles up instead of praising God for those who wear it.
I get busy making meals and get frustrated when I don’t get the help I need, instead of using the time to train the children in my care how to cook and clean.
Joanna Weaver continues:
“Only one thing is needed” – and that is found in true fellowship with him.
…I cannot do everything, but I can do “one thing.” I cannot meet every need, but I can respond in obedience to the need the Spirit lays on my heart. I cannot carry every load, but I can carry the load God has for me.
And that, my friends, is the “one thing.”
I love when God pulls two unexpected blog posts together.
