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 few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”
When I read these verses I imagine Martha moving about the house in a flurry of activity. There were floors to sweep, rooms to tidy, and food to prepare. Her work seemed logical and even important. After all, Jesus was there! Yet in the end she was so distracted by the work that she totally missed the opportunity to hear from Jesus in the flesh.
Most of us can relate. We go about our days in tornadoes of activity. Driving here. Kids screaming over there. Squeezing in another text. Sending out another email. And don’t even start on social media! Distractions are everywhere. Inherently, distractions aren’t all bad. But when we allow them to take a prominent place in our lives, they can keep us from hearing God’s voice and seeing Him move.
How are you at setting aside time away from distractions to really focus on God and what He wants to say to you? Martha just needed to wipe her hands and have a seat with her sister. What practical thing can you do today so that you don’t miss out on the opportunity to hear from God?
