Martha! Martha! Martha!

"'Martha, Martha,' the Lord answered. 'You are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.'"
Luke 10:41&42

You may remember the story referenced here. Jesus had gone to the house of Mary, Martha and Lazarus. They were sisters and brother. You may also remember that Lazarus later died and was raised from the grave after four days. But this was the first time Jesus had met the family. Mary was sitting at his feet and listened to everything he said. Martha, meanwhile, was doing all the work. She was preparing the meal, cleaning the house and taking care of the general earthly duties. In Martha's mind, she was serving Jesus. But Mary was enjoying him.
    Martha took issue with the fact that Mary was not helping her. She thought it rude of her to sit at the Lord's feet while she took care of the household needs. But Jesus wanted her to know that it was much more important for Mary to learn from him and enjoy his presence than to participate in the duties. I think this lesson speaks volumes to us as we go about our everyday lives.
    Jesus told Martha that she was worried and upset about many things. Does that describe us? We are often so caught up in the worries and struggles of everyday life that we spend our time being upset. God wants us to know that there is a much better way.
    Mary had chosen a higher path. She chose better things than being upset. She chose to be in the presence of Jesus. We need to make the same choice. If we spend our time being concerned about the earthly things, they will consume us. The result is bitterness, envy, and anger. But if we choose to be like Mary, we will find ourselves in the presence of the Lord. All of the other things will lose their importance. You see, there is no eternal value in being upset about the day. There is tremendous eternal value in sitting at the feet of Jesus and soaking in his presence. That will change our lives now and bring an eternal blessing.
    Sitting at the feet of Jesus gives us something that cannot be taken away. People can't steal it, the enemy can't destroy it, and circumstances can't take away the joy. Make a choice today, to be like Mary. Enjoy the presence of Jesus. The work will wait. The chores will still need tending to. But for now, enjoy Jesus!