But the Lord replied to her by saying, Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things; There is need of only one or but a few things. Mary has chosen the good portion [that which is to her which shall not be taken away from her.
In the story leading up to today's verse, Jesus went to visit two sisters, Mary and Martha. Martha was busy getting everything ready for Him—cleaning house, cooking, and trying to make an impression by having everything just right. Mary, on the other hand, took the opportunity to fellowship with Jesus. Martha became angry with her sister, wanting her to get up and help with the work. She even complained to Jesus and asked Him to tell Mary to get busy! Jesus' response began with "Martha, Martha," and these two words imply more than we may first realize. They tell us Martha was too busy for relationships; she was choosing work over intimacy, and she was misusing her time and missing what was vital.
Mary, though, was operating in wisdom; she was taking advantage of the moment. She could spend the rest of her life cleaning, but on that day, Jesus had come to her house, and she wanted Him to feel welcome and loved. He had come to see her and Martha, not to inspect their clean house. While I think a clean home is important, this was not the time to focus on it. It was time to focus on Jesus because He was there. I remind myself and encourage you to use wisdom and not miss God's presence when it is available. There are times when we sense the Holy Spirit prompting us to pray or spend time in His presence, but we prefer to work or play. When He calls, we should respond immediately. The blessings of His presence far, far outweigh the benefits of anything else we could do.
Prayer of the Day: Father, I know you come first. You are my first priority! But when I get distracted with work, tasks, or just life in general, please prompt me to remember what’s most important—YOU!
