But the Lord answered and said to her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her." (Luke 10:41-42 NASB)
"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matthew 6:19-21 NASB)
This business of "shall not be taken away from her" is so important that we are visiting it again today. The word translated as "taken away" is aphaireĊ and is the same word used to describe the "taking away" of our sins, which are removed as far as the east is from the west. When God cleanses us of our sin, He removes that sin permanently and completely. We may commit that sin (or some other) again and require additional forgiveness, but that particular sin is gone.
The beautiful promise we find here is that there are some things that cannot ever be removed. What Mary found at the feet of Jesus was one of those things. Mary had made the choice to seek first the Kingdom of God, and the truth Christ poured into her when she sat at his feet was hers forever. No one could take it away from her.
What is even more amazing is that, when I humble myself at the feet of Jesus, when I study Scripture and seek His truth, what I gain is mine forever. No one can take it away. When I live His truth, it becomes a permanent part of me. I like to think of the life of faith as a grand investment that never fails. I've made plenty of investments over the years that failed to bring a return, but this is one investment that never fails to pay a dividend. It is that "storing up in heaven" that nothing can disturb. No stock market crash can affect that treasure, no thief can steal it. Isn't that comforting news?
As we go about our days, we invest our time in all manner of activities, from exercise and housework to business, clubs, public service, and church work. There is certainly a need for all those things, but there is only one investment of time that will pay an eternal dividend. Dear ones, when we seek first the Kingdom of God, we are richly repaid with treasure that can never be lost. Let's be sure that we make that most important eternal investment first, before all others, confident that the gain is ours forever.
This business of "shall not be taken away from her" is so important that we are visiting it again today. The word translated as "taken away" is aphaireĊ and is the same word used to describe the "taking away" of our sins, which are removed as far as the east is from the west. When God cleanses us of our sin, He removes that sin permanently and completely. We may commit that sin (or some other) again and require additional forgiveness, but that particular sin is gone.
The beautiful promise we find here is that there are some things that cannot ever be removed. What Mary found at the feet of Jesus was one of those things. Mary had made the choice to seek first the Kingdom of God, and the truth Christ poured into her when she sat at his feet was hers forever. No one could take it away from her.
What is even more amazing is that, when I humble myself at the feet of Jesus, when I study Scripture and seek His truth, what I gain is mine forever. No one can take it away. When I live His truth, it becomes a permanent part of me. I like to think of the life of faith as a grand investment that never fails. I've made plenty of investments over the years that failed to bring a return, but this is one investment that never fails to pay a dividend. It is that "storing up in heaven" that nothing can disturb. No stock market crash can affect that treasure, no thief can steal it. Isn't that comforting news?
As we go about our days, we invest our time in all manner of activities, from exercise and housework to business, clubs, public service, and church work. There is certainly a need for all those things, but there is only one investment of time that will pay an eternal dividend. Dear ones, when we seek first the Kingdom of God, we are richly repaid with treasure that can never be lost. Let's be sure that we make that most important eternal investment first, before all others, confident that the gain is ours forever.
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