Here’s another devotion topic that I wrote. I can’t decide which one I like best.

Luke 10:28-42: “ ³⁸As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. ³⁹She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. ⁴⁰But 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!”

 ⁴¹“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, ⁴²but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Up until October, every mission trip I have been on has been one with lots of work to be done. Physical labor type of work. I love it. There is no greater feeling than working hard from morning until night building, painting, or constructing stuff until you can no longer move and then sitting back to admire the finished product. There is nothing better than comparing the before and after pictures. There is nothing better than providing children in Jamaica with a new building or a needy woman in Indianapolis with a freshly painted home.

            Or so I thought. My heart changed after traveling to gallup, New Mexico to work with the Navojo Indians. I could not wait to get out there and start building a house or repairing a hut for someone. I couldn’t wait to focus on a project and push thoughts of the problems in my life out of my head for the week. Essentially, I couldn’t wait to run away.

            I was in for a rude awakening. There was not a hut for m to build or a house for me to paint. Aside from some light yardwork, there was not much of anything to DO at all.

            Instead, there were children to play with. There were books to read with the children and Bible Stories to teach them. There was Bingo to play with the Senior Adults and meals to make with the families. Aside from that, there was a whole lot of sitting around and far too much time to think.

            The missionary, Mark, told us the first day that we needed to learn to sit at Jesus’ feet and not get so caught up in what to do. He shared with us the familiar Mary and Martha story. At least, I thought it was familiar.

            Martha is busy in the kitchen doing everything in her power to serve Jesus with her work. I always respected Martha. She was a go-getter. An achiever.

            Mary, on the other hand, always seemed like the lazy one. She just sat at Jesus’ feet while Martha was working hard cooking for him.

            But Jesus, saw past the sisters’ actions and saw straight into their hearts.

            Martha was distracted by her work and did not take the time to worship Jesus the way Mary did. She was so busy doing stuff for Jesus, that she blew Jesus off completely. She had no time to get to know Him or anyone else, for that matter.

            While serving is important, our first priority should be to sit at Jesus’ feet and learn from him, as Mary did.

            I learned in New Mexico to stop distracting myself with the work (which I realized is what I aimed to do) and sit at Jesus’ feet and worship Him while letting Him move in my heart.

            Go do whatever God calls you to do and put forth your every effort to serve God and serve others, but don’t let yourself get distracted from Jesus. Stop and take the time to worship Him and learn from Him. Talk to Him and take delight in Him. You may be amazed at how much these quiet moments at Jesus’ feet can change your life.

Jesus,

Thank you for the opportunities you give me to serve You and others. Please don’t let me get distracted from You. Please teach me and change my heart this weekend as I sit at Your feet and worship You. Above all else, be glorified in all that I do.

                                                                                                                Amen.