DUTY AND DEVOTION

I am a self-proclaimed worker bee, so I understand the need to get things done. When there is an event upcoming for the woman’s club there is a hand full of people you can count on to help with the preparations and the running of the event. There is also a large amount of members that you can count on to show up for the event and then they are nowhere to be found when it comes time to clean up the mess.

Meet two sisters, Mary and Martha. One is a worker bee and one is the show up for the event kind of girl. Both of these sisters have talents and they use them in Luke 10: 38-42. Luke tells us that Jesus has come to town. Can you imagine how exciting that would be! I am sure both of the sisters have heard stories about Jesus and here HE is coming to their town. They go out to meet HIM and Martha invites HIM back to her house. I can just imagine the thoughts that began swirling around in her head after Jesus agreed. “Do I have any food to prepare, are the floors dirty, is the house messy?”

Martha begins picking up, and preparing food for the arrival of Jesus. She is so engrossed in her duties that she forgets WHY she invited Jesus to her home in the first place. Mary is sitting at the feet of Jesus listening to stories and not worrying about the house or food. I feel for Martha and I understand her frustration. She probably wanted to be sitting and listening to stories too but felt compelled to serve in a different way. Instead of stopping what she was doing she complained to Jesus. I am sure she was not expecting Jesus to side with Mary but that is exactly what HE did.

Mary was enjoying the company of Jesus. Mary was hanging on every word of Jesus. Mary was showing true devotion. Martha should have stopped all the preparations once Jesus arrived. Martha should have quit thinking about all that needed to still be done, and just enjoyed the moment.

There will always be duties that need to be done. The church needs to be cleaned, there will always be repairs that need to be made, teachers will always be needed and the grass will need to be mowed. These are all duties, and they need to be done, but they are not devotion. Devotion is spending time with the Lord, learning of HIS teachings, and having fellowship with HIS people.

Prepare for the Lord, but when HE arrives, drop EVERYTHING! HE deserves our full attention.

Have a Blessed Day!