Finding the One Priority of Life According to Jesus

If anything marks our culture today, it would have to be the fact that we are all busy. Everywhere you go people are rushing around in a hurry. The irony of the age we live in, is that it was predicted that the age of computers would give us more leisure time. That was a lie. Our technology has somehow made us slaves to clocks that never seem to allot us enough time. I’m retired, yet I, too, often feel like I just don’t have enough time to get done the things I need to get done.

I committed myself several years ago to giving a real effort to make God my priority when I wake up in the morning. Though I try to be a man who “prays without ceasing”, I still struggle with the distractions inherent in life. If I give God the first minutes of my day, at least He got some of me. Though I don’t force myself into a legalistic ritual in which I punish myself on the days I miss my morning time with God, I make it a priority to do so most mornings. This morning’s study time was a lesson from Jesus on just how important it is to make Him the priority. It is found in Luke 10:38-42.

In the story, we find Martha busy preparing to serve Jesus, having invited Him into her home. Luke describes her as “distracted with all her preparations.” Meanwhile, her sister Mary, is “seated at the Lord’s feet listening to His word.”

We’ve all been there. While we are doing all the work, our co-worker is playing on their smartphone. While we are carrying in the bags of groceries, our spouse is watching the game or a soap opera on TV. Even in the church we get frustrated with the lack of people helping in the various ministries. It’s long been a church saying that 10% of the people do 90% of the work. Yea Martha, we get it.

Martha has had enough so she goes right to Jesus about this lack of help. Listen to her rebuke of Jesus from Luke 10:40 “…and she came up to Him and said, "Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? Then tell her to help me."”

But the response she gets is not the one she expected.

Luke 10:41-42
But the Lord answered and said to her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things: but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her."

This is not an excuse to not serve in the church. Nor is it an excuse to not hold a job or help those in need. This is a lesson on priority.

You see the most important aspect of the Christian life is worship. It is what we will do in Heaven. We simply must take the time each day to sit at the feet of Jesus and listen to His Word. When we do that, we will know how to serve Him. We will know what His will is for our lives. We will understand how to serve Him without these angry, frustrated feelings that we see in Martha. We will learn that making more money is not the most important task in life. We will learn that we do not have to constantly be doing something. We will clear our minds so that we are praying without ceasing.

But more importantly, we will know Jesus. And as we grow closer to him, we will worship Him more and more. Then every command in the scriptures, every instruction from Jesus and the inspired words of the Bible will become our desires and not a burden to enjoying life, as some seem to make them.

Its important to serve God. But not at the expense of sitting at the feet of Jesus and listening to His Word. Are you a Martha? Or are you a Mary? Jesus said Mary did the only necessary thing, which is to listen to Him.

Listen to Him.