Martha And Mary
Weekly devotional by Barbara Sanders

This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it". We hear those words from time to time, either in a message, in a song, or in our daily bible reading. How joyful are we really over God's day and rejoicing?

Today was a very wet day, according to my standards. It rained continously almost all day, very hard rains. It was not really a nice day to be out and 'rejoicing'.....but I took a trip to my daughter's.

Let me digress. Lately, I've felt down and out, been very tired in mind and body, not feeling up to par in either. I shared my inadequacies last night with a dear friend. I call her dear because she listened to the Holy Spirit and gave me a word that only GOD could have known was for me - but she was obedient and delivered it. For this, I owe her a thank you. She said simply, "Can I be honest with you?" And, of course, I said yes. She shared with me that God had let her know I had been too busy lately doing every thing for everybody, trying to stay on top of things. I had not taken out time to rest in him. She suggested that I take a trip with my spouse, maybe a day out, or maybe a walk in a local Christian book store. But she stressed, "REST in HIM". The last of this was, "He says you are Martha". She didn't have any idea what she was telling me.

Many years ago, back in the middle 80's, a dear minister that I had only heard before on radio, came to our church to minister. One night, during that time, he gave certain people a word from the Lord. I happened to be one of those people. He didn't have any idea who I was or what I did. He simply told me that I had felt my ministry wasn't doing anything for anybody, but assured me that GOD said it was, but the ministry that HE wanted mostly for me was to "sit at my feet". I was to be "MARY".

So the words given to me by my 'dear friend' hit home. I knew with out a shadow of a doubt that I had forgotten what it was to really sit at Jesus' feet, to listen to HIM, to 'be ministered to', not 'to minister'. I had wrapped my days up in this website, and let His words slip right out of my heart. I became "Martha" without knowing what was happening. It took this obedient servant to get me right back on track - to realize there are something more precious than doing 'my best' - that is, to sit at HIS feet and know for sure what HE wants of me. Too often, we lose sight of our real ministry.

Luke 10:38 Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.

Luke 10:39 And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word.

Luke 10:40 But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.

Luke 10:41 And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:

Luke 10:42 But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.