Martha Moments.

Last week felt like a growing pain. Let’s just say, I pulled a Martha. 

My gals Mary and Martha are one of my favorite duos in the Bible. I admire how beautiful and driven they are, but most of all, I love how they’re always growing. I’ve learned that the parallel between them and us is a mere gift, giving us more wisdom than we realize.

Let’s look at these beloved gals. It starts with Martha inviting Jesus into her home. Can you imagine? Jesus is staying at your house, eating the food you cook (or if you have cooking skills like me, the food I order for takeout) and having conversations with you in your own living room! You can imagine that Martha was running around the house trying to cook, clean and knock out her to-do list to make sure this amazing guy Jesus has a great experience while He stays with her. Mary, who was Martha’s sister, reacted differently to the presence of Jesus. She was sitting at His feet, soaking up His every word. Martha sees her sister and starts complaining that Mary isn’t helping and let’s be honest, we’ve all been there. But here’s the thing friends, remember how Martha invited Jesus into her home? That invitation was extended back to her to sit at His feet. You see, Martha invited Jesus into her home and in return, He gave her an invite into His presence, or as I call it, our true home. 

Mary didn’t miss this invitation like Martha did at first. I imagine Mary’s eyes swelling up with tears when she found out she was invited to sit at Jesus’ feet, her true home where she belonged. Mary knew that the only place she wanted to be was at the feet of Jesus, but Martha missed this invite at first. Why? Because her eyes weren’t fixed on what was actually important. Remember how I said I pulled a Martha last week? Here’s why: I was busy searching for something that was already put in front of me. Anyone else do that? Look hard for something just to realize that it was in front of you the whole time? I think this is where Martha is coming from when Jesus is staying with her. Think about it, this Holy guy who everyone is talking about chooses to stay at your house over any other place, so naturally you want to make sure it’s in tiptop shape. Let’s stop and take a moment to imagine this: Think of yourself as a house. When you invite people to visit, your first instinct is to “tidy up” the mess. Make sure everything is put away, cleaned and polished. But what happens when someone visits unannounced and you’re not spotlessly clean? As humans, we have this misperception that we have to appear to have it all together, the same way we tidy up the mess in our homes when people come over. In the same way, Martha thought she should have it all together for Jesus and I don’t blame her- But we often forget that we can’t hide our mess or flaws from Jesus.

My favorite part of this story is when Jesus responds to Martha by saying, “Martha, my beloved Martha. Why are you upset and troubled, pulled away by all these many distractions? Are they really that important? Mary has discovered the one thing most important by choosing to sit at my feet. She is undistracted, and I won’t take this privilege from her” (TPT).  First of all, can we just acknowledge how LOVING Jesus is to Martha? Instead of yelling at her or making her feel bad, He starts by calling her His “Beloved”. When Jesus calls Martha His own, she’s reminded of her true Identity and oh how beautiful that is! Over the years, I’ve learned that we’re not meant to multi-task. When we put our focus on too many things at once, how are we able to put 100% into them? Martha teaches us when our focus is on too many things, we lose sight of what is actually important and we can’t offer our 100%. The last part of this verse is what really tugs at my heart though, “Mary has discovered the one thing most important by choosing to sit at my feet. She is undistracted, and I won’t take this privilege from her”. Jesus describes Mary’s “discovery” as if she’s found the most valuable treasure in the entire world (which I believe she did) and it started by choosing! Mary chose Jesus because her eyes were fixed on him at all times and she didn’t try to “tidy up” before she sat at His feet, she simply just came as she was. Jesus explains it as a privilege, but friends, I think even that is an understatement. How amazingly blessed are we that we get to come to Him, mess, flaws and all? And in the midst of choosing to come to Him, He LOVES us just as we are! 

The last, and most important thing Mary and Martha’s story teaches us, is how to stop. Those gals loved Jesus so much but what’s the one major difference you notice between Mary and Martha? Martha chose to focus on things that didn’t matter while Mary chose to stop, and if we learned anything from Mary’s choice, it’s that we’ve been given a powerful privilege to stop and be with Jesus- All the time. 

Last week when I was having one of my many Martha moments, God gently told me to stop. It actually happened as I was folding laundry, cleaning up my room and making my bed (more or less all at the same time). He asked me to stop and at first, the Martha in me came out. I thought, “No way! I’m on a roll. I’m almost done folding these clothes, putting the sheets on the bed and dusting!” Again He told me to stop. It was hard, but I was still for a moment. Then I crumbled to the floor crying, remembering that the thing I had been searching for was right in front of me- It was God and His invitation to stop and just be with Him. 

Friends, I told you that story because I’m wondering if you’ve had a Martha moment recently too? You’re not alone and in fact, let’s take hold of this invitation- our powerful privilege- and stop together right now. God we’re stopping to just be with You. Thank You for the privilege to sit here at Your feet and soak up the abundant love You’re constantly pouring out. 

I think on this side of heaven we are bound to have Martha moments, going between, being like our two favorite gals, but honestly I want to get to a point where the only place you’ll find us is at Jesus’ feet, Amen?