One day at a time

One day at a time  by Bill MacDonald

"Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many
things; But one thing is needful; and Mary hath chosen
that good part, which shall not be taken away from her."
Luke 10:41-42.

Mary sat quietly at Jesus' feet and heard His word. Martha
was flustered and upset in her service, and resented the
fact that Mary didn't pitch in to help. The Lord Jesus
didn't correct Martha for her service but for the spirit in
which she was doing it. Also there is a suggestion that
Martha' priorities were wrong; she shouldn't have put
service above worship.

Many of us are like Martha. We are achievers, who would
rather be doing than sitting. We pride ourselves on being
organized, efficient, able to accomplish. We are so
preoccupied with our work that our morning Bible reading is
often interrupted by the memory of sixty things that have to
be done. Our prayers tend to be helter-skelter because our
mind wanders from Dan to Beersheba, planning out the day. It
is easy for us to resent it when others don't grab a towel
and help. We feel that everyone should be doing what we are
doing.

Then there are those who are like Mary. They are lovers.
Their lives exude affection for others. To them people are
more important than pots and pans. One Person in particular
is the Object of their affection. They are not lazy, though
it might seem that way to us Martha's. It's just that they
have different priorities.

We ourselves appreciate a person who is warm and loving more
than one who is coldly capable and efficient. Our hearts are
captured by a child who showers us with hugs and kisses more
than by one who is too busy with his toys to pay much
attention to us.

Someone has well said that God is more interested in our
worship than in our service; the heavenly Bridegroom is
wooing a bride, not hiring a servant.

Christ never asks of us such busy labor

As leaves no time for sitting at His feet

The patient attitude of expectation

He often counts a service most complete.

Mary chose that good part, which shall not be taken away
from her. May we all do the same!

From ONE DAY AT A TIME daily devotional by Bill MacDonald.