12-5-18
“But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” But the LORD answered her, Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:40-42
It’s happening! Like ants that creep into your shoe unnoticed until the burning sting renders you shoe-less and hopping to the nearest water source for relief, the Christmas season tailspin has descended upon me, and like ants, the list of unmet obligations keeps multiplying, leaving a sting.
My heart is finding focus and peace as I remember the time Jesus walking into a house bustling with female angst, as ONE sister was doing all the WORK, while the other was soaking in all the WONDER. My heart takes such refuge in hearing His Words, the words of the One I want to please most, “….but only one thing is needed.”
One thing. WOW! That seems so easy, so uncomplicated. But isn’t it always when He speaks….and we actually listen? With His words I hear another question rising up in my heart, “What is keeping you from the One thing?”
YIKES! Confrontation! Isn’t there a rule somewhere that says Jesus doesn’t get to AS bossy during the holidays?
Truth is, my choices keep me from the One thing, the One thing that’s most needed, and the one thing that can never be taken from me.
Truth is, all these expectations that scream at me like playground bullies, they are not from Him. They are voices that I have allowed in, and they are voices that I must now tell to leave if I am to choose the One thing.
Sometimes being a Good Christian looks completely different from what we have imagined, especially during the holidays.
Sometimes the greatest gift we can give is a life that is wholly yielded to our One, the One who came for us, the One Who can never be taken from us, unless we let Him.
Jesus, please help us to lay aside the cell phones, planners, cookie baking, gift wrapping, decorating amazon shopping, and all the other frenzied things we do during this season to try to make it special, and instead, let us focus on You, our One thing, Who so graciously made us Your One thing on a Cross many years ago. We love You and thank You for loving us, even we get caught up in the Christmas tailspin instead of being caught up in You. Amen
