Who will you be like this Christmas – Mary or Martha?

I know what you’re thinking as you are reading this – I have to be Martha! Do you know what all I have to do this Christmas to keep things running on time, on course?  Everyone is depending on me.  Does that sound familiar?  What if we could be a little bit of both?

In this busy Christmas season, I may not think it’s possible to be both Mary and Martha; but if the Lord says that I can, then I need to know how.  Jesus gave us the key when He spoke to Martha in Luke 10:41-42.

Luke 10:41-42 (NKJV) 41 And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. 42 But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.”

Jesus was teaching Martha that the moments Mary spent with Him are needed and cannot be taken away from her.  It’s in those moments with Him that He gives us what we need for that day, for that week, for that season.  In a moment with Jesus, the strength we didn’t have moments before is now present.  The patience we need is given in His presence.  The love that we need from Him to give to others comes from a moment with Him.  Whatever your “need” is, God is able to give it to you.

We forget that every year the Christmas lights go up, desserts get made, and the house is cleaned.  What if we were more sensitive to the Lord’s presence in our life than we were to the exhaustive list of chores in our home or work?  What if we realized that God wanted to share a moment – a minute with us, maybe to download exactly what we need? Would you take that minute with Him?  Would you stop everything for one encounter with the Lord, as brief as it may be?

This month, I want to train myself to take those quick moments with Him.  There are lots of opportunities, if I’ll be sensitive to Him.  I want to have His joy in this season so that I am able to be an encouragement to others around me.  I don’t want to live stressed out and complaining.  I want to experience moments with the Lord that refresh me, give me wisdom, hope and love.

I believe that Martha was distracted by serving Jesus instead of enjoying Him.  I believe she loved Him just as much as Mary, but Mary knew that she needed Him first.

So here’s what I propose for the month of December:  Let’s be both Mary and Martha.  Let’s worship at His feet and be productive work-wise at the same time.  Let’s be aware of His presence and enjoy Him as we work serving our families and others.  Let’s encounter Jesus – the reason that we celebrate Christmas!  May God bless you with many moments filled with His love, peace and presence.