"But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:41-42
So many times in my life, I've been a Martha. A worker bee that has taken my eyes off of Jesus. I love to make lists, and some days I 'am so eager to get through my to-do list that I skip out on siting at the Father's feet. The holy spirit is teaching me that it's great to be productive, but the only way I am going to be any earthly good for his kingdom is by letting Him orchestrate my day. It's so easy to let the good things crowd out God's best. So instead of running around like a crazy lady into my day I try to sit at my Father's feet and give him my first. You would be surprised how much you can accomplish with God's help instead of trying to do it all on your own. Before, when I wouldn't get through my whole to-do list I would have called that an unproductive and disruptive day. Now what I would've once thought or called a disruption during my day could possibly be a divine appointment with someone just needing to be loved on. Jesus never saw interruptions as disruptions, but as opportunities to show his love and grace. Let's be honest, planting a seed in someone's heart for Jesus is probably way more important than anything that's listed on my to- do list.
This past weekend my husband and I celebrated our two year wedding anniversary at a Todd White Power & Love conference. What I enjoyed about it the most, was it gave us "introverts" a chance to step out of our comfort zone and evangelize. During one of the breaks that we had during the conference, I was able to spark up a conversation with a barista at a coffee shop that we went to. As I sparked up a conversation, I instantly connected with her as she shared her heart with me. The lady was a Christian woman who loves worship music, church conferences, prayer meetings, fellowship with other believers and bible studies. She also uses her Bible app and plays sermons in the background while she works. Once she opened up to me a little bit, she shared with me that she has felt a tug on her heart that God is wanting her to spend more time with Him. She gave me a perplexed look and told me that any spare time she had she was already filling it up with God things. She told God that she was already so stretched in her schedule and it was hard to make additional time for Him. It was in that moment, that I knew exactly how she was feeling. It was if I was looking at myself in the mirror because that was the work God was doing in my heart, except now I had the answer she was desperately searching for! I felt privileged and wanted to cry that God had set up this divine appointment for me to meet her and minister to her.
Thanks to my past experiences and what the Lord revealed to me I had the wisdom or the key to help her unlock the truth. The truth to set her free. (John 8:32) I reassured her how deeply loved she is by God and that He loves that she does all of that and it is all good, but it's not God's best. What he is asking for is our heart (one on one time with each of His children). He's longing for an uninterrupted Father daughter date and He longs to show her great and marvelous things and take her deeper than what's on the surface. He wants to meet her in the secret place for her to share her heart with Him and be still long enough to hear what He has to say. It sounds so easy, right? Yet to be disciplined and hungry enough to carve out that one on one time with Him is harder than you think. He wants us to go in full of expectancy, turn off our phones, put away our to-do list and unplug from the demands of the world.
There is something so beautiful that happens when you sit at the Father's feet that is why Jesus said "Mary has chosen the good portion" (Luke 10:42). Mary knew the intimacy and freedom that comes from being still. She knew that you can't pour from an empty cup. That is exactly what the Holy Spirit has been teaching me. We want to know the depth of the heart and the secrets of God, but God will not share His secrets with a stranger just like you wouldn't share your heart and deepest secrets with a stranger. You give that privilege to someone who is your friend, someone who is close, someone who you spend the majority of your time with and someone you can trust. He desires intimacy with you. He is jealous for us (Exodus 34:14). Abba tells us that we must become like little children and come to him (Matthew 18:3). It is God's way of saying
" You will always be my baby."
My husband and I are in a waiting season for a child, but we do have a 6 yr. old Yorkie named Lola who is our baby. Trust me when I say that she does not know that she's a dog! We are currently in the process of a getting a house built, so we are currently living with my wonderful in-laws. (Shout out to them!) So, as you probably already know Lola Is ridiculously spoiled and we all fight for her attention. She has so many choices on who gets to love on her and more times than not I get passed on, but let me just say that when she does choose me I get so excited that I just want to squeeze her and lock her up in my bedroom with me. (Hence, probably why she doesn't always choose me, lol!) I feel loved and cherish it.
One day, the holy spirit reminded me that the way I get excited about my dog when she chooses me, is a tiny glimpse of how excited Abba gets when his children choose spending time with him over anything/anyone else. When we choose him over anything else, that's Love. So many things try to distract and divert us from seeking the Lord. It's very easy now days that our attention and time can take over, leaving our alone time with God on the back-burner.
So how can this story relate to you? Maybe you aren't a dog person... but think about how loved you would feel when your spouse, child, niece, nephew, etc... chooses you over anything else in the world.
Here is another story I'd like to share with y'all! The other day my co-worker was raving about getting to spend time with her son this past weekend. Even though it was just for one hour, it was the BEST because it was just the two of them! A few days later I overheard her sharing the same experience with another co-worker. Can I just say, that momma cherished that moment with her son and she took a mental note of everything that happened within that one hour and pondered it. As she was speaking, a picture came to my minds' eye of Abba feeling so loved by spending alone time with His sons and daughters. I picture Him walking the streets of gold smiling, with a pep in his step, stopping the angels that are passing by and telling them about the wonderful time we shared together. I imagine Him even telling our loved ones that have gone before us about how proud and pleased He is, and showing them that their obedience while on earth is still producing good, everlasting fruit through us. He's the proud dad that has his kids' names engraved on the palm of his hands in gold. Let that sink in.
As I'm writing this, the Holy Spirit is really impressing on my heart to let you know just how proud He is of you. YOU'RE LOVED, CHILD! Don't ever forget you will always be his baby! Any alone time that you dedicate to the Lord, I promise you that He is oh, so faithful to honor it. We need to be more like Mary who wasn't interested in the temporal nourishment you get from physical food, but rather was more interested in the everlasting soul nourishment. There is a heavenly exchange that happens in the secret place. Let's ask the Holy Spirit today to give us grace to have a Mary spirit. One that is full of worship, admiration and devotion to Jesus.
Mary and Martha photo above by Simon Dewey
Meet my first guest writer. Nicholette Butler. She is a lover of Jesus and I am proud to call her friend. She is a great example of a true disciple who is thirsty for the things of the Spirit. I pray that Her words will inspire you to draw close to the Lord.
Comments