Sitting at the Feet of Jesus
Luke 10:38-42
“Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, ‘Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.’ 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 from her.’”
In this narrative, two sisters—Mary and Martha—are serving their friend, and guest of honor, Jesus; however, with differing priorities. In the ancient Near East, hospitality was paramount then, as it is now; therefore, we can all identify with Martha’s desire to be a good host. She was, however, more concerned about the external accommodations and preparations for her guests as opposed to her own internal needs. Martha’s actions were sweet and accommodating, and her heart was in the right place, but she was distracted by unimportant details. She was distracted with the observance of perfect hospitality so much that she became frustrated with her sister Mary for not helping her. She watched on in exasperation at her sister’s lack of caring that there was much to be done around the house in preparation for the upcoming meal. She decided to take this to her friend, Jesus for His advice. But, as Martha complained to Jesus about Mary, she was astounded by His response.
As it applies, in practical matters, it is necessary for us to pause for more important priorities. There have been countless times that the Holy Spirit has gently reminded me not to be like Martha. It is easy to become distracted by those things that always need to be done (e.g., care for family, employment worries, household chores, errands, miscellaneous projects, or serving others, etc.) without realizing that it takes us away from something much more important—our intimate relationship with the Lord. Unlike Martha, Mary chose to sit down and listen to what Jesus had to say, deciding that the serving of food and wine could wait. In other words, Mary had chosen the “good portion.” It is essential in our Christian walk that we take time to sit at the feet of Jesus. Mary yearned for godly teaching and was not ashamed to pursue it. Her devotion to Jesus took precedence above everything else.
Sitting at the feet of Jesus is an act of worship. It is an expression of our faith, submission, and reverence for Him. Sitting at His feet is a time when we can rest in His presence, read His word, and speak to Him in prayer. Many of us do not take the time to do this because we are consumed with busy lifestyles and responsibilities. It is easy to push this time aside and tend to insignificant things. If, however, we take time to sit at His feet, it allows us to hear from Him first, recognize and reverence who He is, and establishes trust in His sovereignty. In our state of busyness, we can often miss the greater blessing He has for us. Do not miss the good portion He has for you today.
Are you being intentional by setting aside time to sit at the feet of Jesus? What distractions or additional tasks can you put off or remove from your daily schedule to prioritize time with Jesus? Do you find yourself doing everything everyone else thinks you should do, instead of doing the things God told you to do?
Father as I come before You, I ask that You help me to prioritize my time every day. It is Your delight that I have fellowship with You every morning and sit at Your feet; however, I need Your direction and guidance for my life. Help me to have a heart like Mary—to use my time and spend my day in a way that honors You. Please remove any potential distraction that would steal away my time with You. Help me Lord, to keep my focus on the things that have eternal significance. As I sit at Your feet, show me how I should go about my day according to Your purpose, plan and will for my life. Amen.
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