Oleh : Lusiana Batubara

This passage came again unto my morning devotion. A short story about two sisters from small village named Martha and Mary. I’m sure all of us have been read about this story many times, but at this beautiful moment I invited you to read it once again.

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 only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better and it will not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10: 38-40)

It is interesting to know that Martha is the one whom opened her home for Jesus, but also the one that losing the most valuable time with Him. I think Martha invited Jesus to her home not only to provide Him with food and place to rest. I’m truly sure that she is also wanted to hear His word like Mary did. In this story, the writer then compare this two lady, how they response with Jesus’ presence at that moment.

…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.

Martha was distracted…!! Her attention was diverted; she lost her focus from the most important thing to do because of all the preparation that in her sight it all had to be done. Jesus said that she was worried and upset about many things. This emotion than bring a frustration in her heart and then all she can do is complaining. Not only complain for the choice Mary has taken, but also complaining to Jesus, her own honor guest, because she felt that Jesus don’t care with her and letting Mary doing nothing to help her with all the preparation. Martha has lost one moment of a lifetime to be close with Jesus and hear His words because she was distracted..!! Martha has choose a good thing that she thinks it was right to do at that moment. But Jesus teach her that only one thing is needed, a thing that will not be taken away from her. A thing that Mary did, sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what He said.

Isn’t it our life is just like this story? So many things to do, so many things that had to be done. Sometimes it’s very difficult for us to understand which one is more important and difficult to choose most important thing from all the choices. Family that has to be cared, work hard until late of night for some money, person to person that has to be served, study, friend, future, problems... everything and everyone asking our attention. There is nothing less important than others. We are distracted, we are worried about many things, and we are losing our focus in this short life that God has given to us. We think that we has done the right thing and has a right to complaining when something unexpected, out of our planning happen and came to our “world”.

Sometimes a good thing that we are doing now could be not the right thing to do in the sight of the Lord. Martha has started well by open her house for Jesus, but she failed to choose better thing to do when Jesus already enter her home. We have opened our heart for Jesus; let Him come in to our life. Don’t waste this beautiful journey with the lord of the universe because we failed to choose what is better in the middle of all good choices around us. It is our duty to be close with Him day by day, know His heart, His will for us, so that we can choose what is better; a thing that will not be taken away from us; an eternal choice.

Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me.
(John 15: 4)