A Daily Devotion for Tuesday, April 19

Luke 10:38-42

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.”

This story takes on more meaning for me today in our context of “balance.” I suppose we all have Mary and Martha within us, each winning out at various points in our day. The question I have is this: was Martha wrong in busying herself with preparations and cooking, or was she wrong in asking Jesus to send Mary to help her? I am thinking Martha was so preoccupied with getting ready, that she did not recognize the significance of the visit and the visitor? So, I suppose she was wrong on both counts. Work does need to get done, there is no question there. But at what expense?

Holy Lord, what a beautiful Easter we have had, celebrating you! Thank you for the many opportunities we have to see you working among us. Help us to be present, and ready, when those opportunities come our way. Amen

Becky, transforming