Visit at Martha's House, part 10:

Go; behold, I send you out as lambs in the midst of wolves. Carry no money belt, no bag, no shoes; and greet no one on the way. Whatever house you enter, first say, 'Peace be to this house.'

Stay in that house, eating and drinking what they give you; for the laborer is worthy of his wages. Do not keep moving from house to house.

The seventy returned with joy, saying, "Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name."

But Martha was distracted with all her preparations; and she came up to Him and said, "Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? Then tell her to help me." (Luke 10:3-5, 7, 17, 40 NASB)

Chapter 11 of Luke began with the sending of the seventy disciples on a preaching and healing tour of the towns and villages to which Jesus planned to go. He promised them uncertain working and traveling conditions. They were to take nothing with them and were to go as "lambs in the midst of wolves." They were to eat whatever they were given, stay wherever they were welcomed. Physically, it was likely to be a hard trip, yet they went willingly, eager to do what Jesus had given them to do. When the seventy disciples returned, they were full of joy and bubbling over to tell Jesus about the adventures they had in His name. 

What a contrast to Martha's attitude! Instead of sending her out on a hard mission, Jesus went to her house, drawing closer to her by his physical presence. He and His disciples sat down and were prepared for a nice long conversation. Martha not only did not sit down with Him, she grumbled about the work she did to prepare a meal for Him. 

Why was Martha's attitude, her joy in service, so different from the seventy? The difference had nothing to do with circumstances. The seventy had considerably more difficult circumstances. It had nothing to do with the amount of work involved. The seventy likely had longer hours and unrelenting demands on their time. The difference had nothing to do with the people around them. The disciples were as "sheep in the midst of wolves". At least some of the people by whom they were surrounded were dangerous and devious. Martha was, instead, surrounded by Jesus and His disciples. What better company could she have?

The difference was likely one of calling. The disciples were called by Jesus, appointed by Him, to do the work He had set before them. They willing agreed and eagerly obeyed. Despite the fact that their service was difficult, they had great joy because they were being obedient to the plan of God for their lives. 

Martha, by contrast, was working according to the call of Martha on her life. Jesus had come to visit, but Martha chose to cook and "make preparations" instead. She was at home, in the place most familiar to her. She was surrounded by good people whom she loved and could trust. She would sleep in her own place that night. Everything to which she was accustomed was readily at hand. Preparing for Jesus should have been a joyful time. Instead, it was an unhappy, grumbling time for her.

Attitudes, dear ones, are vitally important and they often begin in the understanding that we are doing what we are meant to do, what we are called to do. If we are unhappy in the midst of service rendered to the King of Kings, it is not likely to be the fault of the King. His plans are good. If we are miserable in our labors, it may be that we need to spend more time at His feet, but perhaps it is because we are not doing the labor to which Christ has called us at all. Despite the difficulty in the journey of the seventy, there was great joy in their obedience, and there should be great joy in our obedience, as well.

Are you joyful in your work? If not, why not? Could it be that the work you are doing is not what you are called to do in this time of life? Before the disciples undertook their journey, they drew close to Jesus, who gave them direction for their trip. We would do well to do the same. Draw close to Jesus, ask Him for directions for your life and your work, then do whatever He says with joy and great anticipation. The way may not be easy, but the joy you find will be worth all the difficulty you encounter. 

For I know the plans that I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. (Jeremiah 29:11 NASB)

Vist at Martha's House, part 9: The Ill-fitting Yoke

Now as they were traveling along, He entered a village; and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home. She had a sister called Mary, who was seated at the Lord's feet, listening to His word. But Martha was distracted with all her preparations; and she came up to Him and said, "Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? Then tell her to help me." (Luke 10:38-40 NASB)

Martha had been busy with preparations while her sister sat at the feet of Jesus, listening to every word. Martha was distracted and overwhelmed with the preparations and wanted help. When Mary, her sister, didn't volunteer to help out, she went to Jesus with an interesting question. "Lord, do you not care?" What she actually said was "Do you not care that my sister is making me do all this work by myself?" When was implicit in her words was another question entirely. "Lord, I did not choose to spend time with you. My choice is not working out well for me, and I don't like it, but don't you care enough to send me some help with my choice so I can keep doing what I chose?" 

Ouch. When we look at her question from that perspective, we see something we might not have noticed before. Martha didn't like the results of her choice, but she didn't seem to have any intention of making a different choice. She did not go to Jesus saying, "My choice to do housework instead of spend time with you is not working for me. Can you help me make a better choice?" She did not say, "How much preparation did You want me to make for all these people? Tell me what YOU want so I can please You." 

I am a master at being a Martha. It is so easy to see something I think needs to be done and forge ahead to do it. When I do that, however, it is not uncommon to find that the work is bigger than I imagined and there is considerably less joy in it than I hoped. More than once I have found myself at the feet of Jesus saying, "This burden is too heavy! This yoke is too painful!" Every time, our Lord has very gently whispered with that still, small voice, "That was never my burden for you. It was never my yoke for you." If we want the abundant life Christ came to bring, we must begin at the feet of Jesus. There is work that must be done, but it is in the work our Lord chooses that we find peace and joy. 

Are you overwhelmed with your busyness, burdened with your life and all the challenges you face? Instead of going to Jesus with demands that He help you keep doing everything you are doing, go to Him with open hands. Offer Him every responsibility and burden you have and allow Him to choose what remains. You can be sure that time spent with Him will be a high priority. It may be, however, that some of the responsibilities you carry are no longer His will for you. For those of us accustomed to an extremely busy life, paring down might seem a burden in itself. When you have time to enjoy our Lord, however, you may find that a pared life is richer and brings more joy than all the busyness you could pack into your days.

When the burden is heavy, when the yoke doesn't fit, there is only one place to go. Jesus. 

"Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." (Matthew 11:28-30 NASB)

Visit at Martha's House, part 7: Whose Work Matters

But Martha was distracted with all her preparations; and she came up to Him and said, "Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? Then tell her to help me." (Luke 10:40 NASB)

When you look closely at this verse, what Martha said to Jesus is really shocking. It appears, from the way she addressed Him as Lord, that she had an understanding of Jesus as Master. He was not just a poor, wandering preacher. He was not just a family friend. He was Lord and He was in charge. It seems as if Martha had a basic understanding of this, but Martha had a problem that most of us have as well. Martha thought that she was also in charge. She approached Jesus as if they were on equal terms. 

Jesus did not tell Martha what preparations needed to be done. Martha decided that for herself. She then attempted to perform all the work she had decided was necessary, but it was too much for her. There is no indication that Martha spent even a moment saying, "Is all this necessary? Is this what Jesus wants me to do?" Martha had made her decision and she was sticking with it. (Does this sound familiar at all? Isn't this something that we do, as well?) 

To make matters worse, Martha decided that her agenda should also include Mary. In essence, Martha's plan for Mary became more important than Jesus' plan for Mary, at least in Martha's mind. I would expect that Martha had signaled Mary more than once, trying to get her to get up and help! Mary, however, kept her seat at the feet of Jesus. 

What is astounding to me is that Martha marched right up to Jesus and demanded He reassign Mary to The Martha-Work-Crew! Don't forget that Jesus was not just a man. He was Almighty God wrapped in flesh, sitting in her home, and Martha was trying to boss Him around like she was His equal. 

Selah. Pause and consider. 

I'm not going to pretend that I've never done this, but I hope I have better sense now. What about you? Do your prayers sometimes have a "Martha-esque" tone about them? Do we find ourselves demanding that God do whatever it is we want and hop to it? 

We would do well to remember that there is a God and we are not it. His Word tells us that He has a plan, for good and not for evil. It makes sense to desire that good plan, but all too often we want our own plan, instead. Even worse, we demand that God give us what we want. 

When she first became overwhelmed with preparations, Martha would have had a much better day if she had stopped to ask herself, "Is this what I need to be doing? Is this what Jesus wants me to do?" We, too, could benefit from using our frustration with life as an opportunity to consider that maybe what we want is not what God wants. Shocking idea, isn't it? It is also a very freeing concept. 

If you're frustrated and overwhelmed with life, it is time for some serious soul-searching. Is the work you are trying to do, the lifestyle you are pursuing, that for which you long, really what God desires for you or have you made your own plan, expecting God to bless it? It may be that your plan needs to be relinquished for the one God has for you. 

What, then, should you do? Do what Mary did. Begin by positioning yourself at the feet of Jesus. Listen to His words. Seek His face. Ask for His plan, then do what He says. 

Hear, and heed, the words of Jesus: 

"Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." (Matthew 11:28-30 NASB)

Visit at Martha's House, part 6: The One in Charge

But Martha was distracted with all her preparations; and she came up to Him and said, "Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? Then tell her to help me." (Luke 10:40 NASB)

When Jesus arrived, along with His disciples, Martha immediately welcomed Him into her home and went to work, making preparations for the meal and for His stay. Mary sat down at Jesus' feet and stayed there. The longer Martha worked, the more frustrated she became. She could be at Jesus' feet, too, if Mary would only help her, she must have thought. The more she fumed, the worse it got. 

Finally, Martha's irritation bubbled over into an outburst. "Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? Then tell her to help me," she demanded. Martha had made a serious error in judgment. She assumed that Jesus would, of course, have the same priorities that she had, and that He would see her desire to work, as well as her assessment of the work that needed to be done, in the same way she saw them. We will soon see that nothing could have been farther than the truth. 

There was another little problem that Martha had, and it is one from which we also likely suffer. Martha assumed that, because it was "her" house, she was the one who would decide the agenda and the service that was done. It turned out that Martha was sadly mistaken. 

God is not in the business of asking us for advice. He has it all figured out, and has been doing a fine job of keeping the planets orbiting the sun without a bit of help from us. He has a plan, and it is better than ours. The thing we often forget is that God has a plan for everything, including what happens in our house, what acts of service we do, how we spend time with Him. (See Jeremiah 29:11 - "I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord...") 

We would do well to relinquish our need to control every situation of life and allow our Lord free reign. Let Him direct us in everything from the major decisions of life (job, spouse, location) to those decisions we might consider "ours" like where we spend our time, what we do in our free time, with whom we spend our time.

Martha wondered if Jesus cared. The truth was that He did, but the question He could well have asked was, "Doesn't Martha care about Me?" Our actions will demonstrate our love for our Lord. Let's be sure they say exactly what we mean for them to say. 

"Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness..." Matthew 6:33 NASB

A Visit at Martha's House, part 2

Now as they were traveling along, He entered a village; and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home. (Luke 10:38 NASB)

The word translated here as "welcomed" is hypodechomai. It literally means to "admit under one's roof, to entertain hospitably". We have to chase this a bit to get the full impact, so bear with me. "Hospitality" is the cordial, generous reception of guests. "Cordial" is a word we seldom use in everyday speech, so a quick look at its meaning might be helpful. "Cordial" means "warm, sincere, hearty." If we put all that together, it means that Martha received Jesus and His disciples as her guests in a warm, sincere, and hearty manner. She was delighted to have Him there!

Martha made an excellent start in entertaining Jesus. The problem quickly became one of focus. Martha turned her attention from her welcome visitor to the details of the visit, where her focus remained. In her excitement to have Jesus in her home, she became so focused on the food and the preparations for service that she, in a way, abandoned Jesus. She left Him out completely as she bustled about the kitchen, preparing the meal. 

Imagine being that busy for a moment. 

The Son of God comes to your house and, instead of sitting down to talk to Him, you leave Him in the living room and go straight to the kitchen to start cooking. He is eager to share truth with you, to enjoy your company because you are one of His favorite friends, yet you spend the entire visit working hard to cook a big meal for Him. By the time the visit is over, you are exhausted and haven't spent even a minute visiting with your Guest. The meal was lovely, but did Jesus care about the meal? Did He come for the meal? No, He came for you.

That scenario seems unlikely, doesn't it, yet every day our Lord longs to spend time with us and we are so distracted by the details of life that we rush about, compromising our time with Him by our incessant "busyness". We serve diligently, and likely do a lovely job of it, but neglect the greater work of sitting quietly at the feet of Jesus.

Does your service, your bustling busyness crowd out your time at the feet of Jesus? Do you spend more time working for the Kingdom or worshipping the King? It is a question of priority and one that matters greatly to Jesus. Let's make a conscious choice to  be still at the feet of Jesus, worship before Him, learn from Him, and serve Him with our presence. Those details of physically serving cannot be left completely undone, but perhaps less would be more if we began at the feet of Jesus. Let us choose the greater part and begin by worshipping our King.

A Visit at Martha's House

As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. 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!” “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:38-42 NIV)

This is one of my favorite passages because it speaks to me on so many levels. Frankly, some days I'm Mary, but more often, I'm Martha. Perhaps you can find yourself in this story, too.

To fill in the details of the story, we need to look at John 11: 1-2 where we find that Mary and Martha were the sisters of Lazarus, of Bethany, who later would be raised from the dead. Mary was the woman who anointed Jesus' feet with ointment and wiped His feet with her hair. Jesus knew this family well and there was much love between them. 

Matthew Henry (my favorite theologian from the 1600-1700's) says that Martha was likely a widow who kept the home where she had lived with her husband (or possibly was housekeeper in Lazarus' home), and that Mary lived with her. Since Jesus was not rich in money, he was dependent upon the hospitality of His friends. Matthew Henry says that "Jesus often invited Himself to them" because He knew he was always welcome at the home of Martha and Mary. "Though it was expensive to entertain Christ for He did not come alone, but brought His disciples with Him, yet she would not regard the cost of it. How can we spend what we have better than in Christ's service?" 

Perhaps the reason for Martha's fretting and worrying was not that everything be perfect but that she be able to serve her Lord at all. For a widow of limited means, entertaining thirteen hearty men was no small undertaking. The food alone would have been a considerable effort and expense. 

Until today, when I thought of Martha and Mary, I have generally thought of them in a 1st century version of my house. If Martha wanted to cook something, she would just go to my pantry or out to the freezer, get it and cook it right up. Nothing could have been further from the truth! The typical meal was likely bread, olive oil, dried fruit, and dried legumes of some sort, either beans or lentils. Bread was likely cooked fresh every day. If Martha wanted to make bread, she had to grind the grain. If Martha wanted to cook beans, she soaked them and likely cooked them for hours. The arrival of Jesus and his disciples meant that, if Martha was going to feed them, she had to get to work and to get busy about it. (Of course, Jesus could have just done a miracle and fed them with the little she had on hand, but it appears that she wanted to provide for Him from her own resources.)

In 1st century Israel, there were no telephones, cell phones, fax machines, or postal service home mail delivery. Without a runner going ahead to say He was coming, Jesus had no way to notify Martha that He was en route. The willing generosity of Martha toward the Lord and His disciples should be an example for us. There is no indication that Martha served grudgingly or under compulsion. Instead, it is clear that she was eager to serve well and to do it on the spur of the moment. There is no greater honor than to have the Lord of Heaven and Earth present in our homes and, in recognizing that, Martha longed to give honor back to Him with her service.

What about us? Are we willing to serve Christ on the spur of the moment, without regard to the amount of effort or expense required? Would we, like Martha, welcome Jesus and all the people who journeyed with Him into our home? Would we be ready to entertain at a moment's notice? 

Jesus visited often in the home of Martha, Mary and Lazarus and felt free to bring His friends along, because He knew He would always be welcome. Can He say the same of us? of our homes? Let's be sure that we are as welcoming to our Lord and those He sends our way as Martha, who willing shared the little she had with all who came her way.
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Please be in prayer for Congressman Alan Nunnelee, who is seriously ill and in desperate need of miraculous intervention, as well as his family and friends.