"What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us." -Emerson

Sunday, December 13, 2009

One thing.

I have been in such a season of busyness right now. I've been gone on trips from Thanksgiving until last Monday, part of that time included planning three parties (two parties for my mom's employees and their families=400 people, and then a gaggle of fourteen year old girls for my sister's birthday) and a business meeting for my mom. Then, followed it up with leading a Bible Study and a HUGE women's event that I helped with at our church. Not to mention Christmas is creep, creep, creeping up on me. The chaos has literally worn me out. My body feels like I ran the Marine Corps Marathon or something more brutal.

Busyness in itself is not a sin, but it can become one if we aren't careful. Consider the story of Mary and her sister, Martha. These two sisters were having Jesus himself in their home. One sister, Martha, busily prepares a meal and becomes quite annoyed as her sister just sits there at Christ's feet. Here is how Jesus responds at Martha's bitterness:

"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 10:41-42 NIV
I get worried and upset about many things when only one thing is needed. I am involved in a lot of ministries and sometimes the preparation for having Jesus come will take over the time that was meant to be spent at His feet. I am a Martha. I really don't want to be, but when it comes down to it, I am. Now, Martha had some good qualities too, don't get me wrong. She was very practical in her thinking. Jesus was in her house and surely, He would want to eat. She was trying to make sure that happened.
Yet, somewhere amidst the chopping and the grating, she lost the whole point of it all. I have really started to see how many of us Christians get bogged down with the details and miss the whole point of it all. Churches and people fight and bicker over all sorts of things that don't matter from paint colors to which way to pass the offering plate when Jesus is saying only one thing matters: me.
Sometimes it is hard to find the one thing that matters in the middle of doing a lot of good things. Like I said, I am involved in a lot of ministries and sometimes I can be doing those things without a single thought about the why. It happens. But, somehow in seasons of busyness, we need to stop and ask God, "what is the one thing you have for me?"
I know He is calling me to that right now. Slowing down and figuring out the one thing. How about you? Especially in the middle of the holidays, have you found yourself completely losing focus on why we celebrate Christmas?
Here's to being more Mary than Martha...
Until next time,
-C.

1 comment:

Lindsay (aka Linz) said...

Indeed, here's to being more Mary...thanks for the post, Catherine. Great reminders!