Who are You?

Let me just start by saying I love our Lord!!! His timing is amazing. Last night before bed I thought, Lord, what am I going to write about? This morning I woke up and thought Lord, what am I going to write about? It's been two days? I need something from you??? LOL, I swear now I think He must have been smiling, shaking His head, and saying "patience child, my timing is perfect". Now let me backtrack a bit so this all makes sense....

As you might know, from reading one of my prior posts, I have been a bit stressed and frustrated and because of this not dealing with things very well. Last weekend I felt that He was telling me it's time to stop my hurriedness and get back into spending time with Him every day....EVERY!! DAY!!

When I first became a Christian, back in 2000, I could not get enough of the Bible. I couldn't wait to get home and read. Later I started reading morning devotionals. But as time and years went on I got "busy" and would put it aside. One day one of my coworkers said to me that I was an inspiration to her because I knew so much scripture. Now I know that she meant that in such a complimentary way but truly it ended up being not helpful to me at all. Because of that one sweetly intended compliment pride snuck in and I began reading less and less, because after all, I knew so much, right? WRONG! Of course by neglecting reading the Word I lost a lot of that scriptural knowledge and, unfortunately I had head knowledge, and not heart knowledge, at that time so it wasn't deep enough in my heart and my actions began reflecting the unfortunate change.

I went for quite awhile not feeding my spirit and becoming more and more disgruntled with circumstances around me and did not handle challenging situations well. I knew I was saved and I would still pray, but it was more like me complaining to God then coming to Him for guidance. And even if I did come for guidance most of the time I just wasn't really listening. I was too busy with my own issues. I wasn't necessarily becoming disgruntled with Him, I was just beoming more worldly again and therefore dissatisfied.

So anyway, getting back to recently....He really put it in my heart that I need to slow down and pay attention to Him, and that is when this blog began. So, as I said in the beginning I was asking Him what was I going to write about? He put it in my heart again that I was focusing so much on a task and not on Him. So I tried to completely let it go and I said to Him ok, if I don't write another blog it's because you're done with this path in my life and I will accept it. I won't write anything else until I know you are telling me that's what needs to be put out there.

So at lunchtime today....yes I actually stopped and took a lunch...whoohooo...I felt He was telling me to write about busyness and ask my readers, and most importantly myself, who are you? Are you Mary or are you Martha?

Luke 10:38-42

At the Home of Martha and Mary

³⁸ As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. ³⁹ She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. ⁴⁰ But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”

⁴¹ “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, ⁴² but few things are needed—or indeed only one.^[f] Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

I used to think of myself as Mary but today, surprise, surprise, when I opened up my devotional reading, I saw myself in Martha. At first I was a bit saddened and shamed but that passed very quickly and was replaced with joy. Joy because again it confirmed to me that He was speaking to me, and to my situation, and showing me that nothing good comes from busyness. Spending time with Him is the most important thing we can ever do in this life.

After my devotional I went to another book that I'm reading, which I highly recommend. It's called At Jesus' Feet. I had started this book a few months back and stopped reading over a month ago. I picked it up today and what was it talking about? You got it! Mary and Martha!!! Later on in the chapter the author told a brief story about a man in his life that changed his life by three simple questions? How long can you hold your breath? Then you shouldn't go longer than that without prayer? How many meals do you eat in a day? Then you should feed on the Word of God at least that many times in a day? And what would happen to your body if you didn't exercise? You would become weak and flabby....well so will your faith. The man then said to this author, the rules over our physical life also apply to our spiritual life. At that exact moment I felt that the Lord was telling me to get up and go write this blog.

Matthew 4 New International Version (NIV)

Jesus Is Tested in the Wilderness

4 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted^[a] by the devil. ² After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. ³ The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”

⁴ Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.

Begin this day, this moment. Look at yourself and ask yourself, am I Mary or am I Martha? If you are answering Martha I highly encourage you to take this step of faith with me. Begin each day, before you do anything else, with some time with our Lord. Read a devotional or a scripture or two, but give him your very first moments of the day. And don't stop there. Throughout the day talk to him. Pray without ceasing. Read His Word as it is your meal. Choose to be Mary. I guarantee He will bless you for it. He is already blessing me.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 New International Version (NIV)

 

¹⁶ Rejoice always, ¹⁷ pray continually, ¹⁸ give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.