Luke 10:39, 40 - Sitting at the Feet of Jesus.
Luke 10:39, 40 (NKJV) And she had a sister
called Mary, who also sat at Jesus' feet and heard
His word. 40 But Martha was distracted with much
serving, and she approached Him and said, "Lord, do
You not care that my sister has left me to serve
alone? Therefore tell her to help me."
Luke 10:39, 40 (NIV) She had a sister called
Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what
he said. 40 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!"
Luke 10:39, 40 (NLT) Her sister, Mary, sat
at the Lords feet, listening to what he
taught. 40 But Martha was distracted by the big
dinner she was preparing. She came to Jesus and
said, Lord, doesnt it seem unfair to you
that my sister just sits here while I do all the
work? Tell her to come and help me.
COMMENTARY PEARL
In 2013, Time magazine published a list
of the 100 most significant figures in world
history. And who was number one on the list? It was
Jesus.
This is nothing new, by the way. Jesus
was popular in the first century as well,
especially after He raised Lazarus from the dead.
Wherever He went, crowds of people thronged Him.
Matthew 13 tells us that large crowds
gathered to Jesus, so He got into a boat and sat down
while the whole crowd stood on the shore. We also
read in Luke 12:1 that so many people gathered
together to hear Jesus, they were stepping on each
other.
And John 12 says that when people learned
that Jesus was in Bethany at the home of Mary,
Martha, and their brother, Lazarus, they flocked
to see him and also to see Lazarus, the man
Jesus had raised from the dead (verse 9 NLT).
So Jesus was very popular. The problem
was that His popularity would be short-lived.
The same people who were singing His praises
soon would be shouting for His crucifixion.
Thats because they never really understood His
real mission. Even His own hand-picked disciples
didnt fully get it until He died and rose from the
dead.
But there was one exception, someone who
seemed to get what everyone else missed. Her name
was Mary, and she was the sister of Martha and
Lazarus. Its worth noting that every time we read
of her in the Bible, shes sitting at the
feet of Jesus.
So what does it mean today to sit at
Jesuss feet? It means that we spend time in the
presence of God. Just as Mary took time to listen to
Jesus, we should give great attention to the Word
of God and hear what it has to say. And when
you sit at Jesuss feet, youll be energized
to serve Him. [Greg Laurie from Harvest
Ministries; https://www.harvestdaily.com]
COMMENTARY
In today's Scripture, we read, "Martha
was distracted by all the preparations that had
to be made." Martha was on the right path, even
with her "much serving," as the King James
Version puts it. Martha dearly loved the Lord Jesus,
and she isn't to be chided for rolling up her
sleeves to prepare a special meal for Him and His
disciples. The problem was her focus. It wasn't that
she was too busy or planned too many menu items.
Martha simply allowed those things to distract her
from the true focus - the Savior. She lost joy in
her labor, gladness in ministering to her Lord,
and delight in exercising her God-given gifts. A
complaining spirit took over as she focused on her
sister, Mary, along with all the pots and pans!
It takes great spiritual discipline, as
well as consuming adoration for the Savior, to
not become weighed down and distracted by the
hard work of energetic service. Don't shrink from
serving the Lord today; just be certain to keep
Jesus and His glory as your goal.
Lord Jesus, may Your Spirit convict me if
I become sidetracked by the demands of my
Christian service, whether at home, work, or church.
May You and my intimate walk with You always be
my focus. [A Spectacle of Glory by Joni
Eareckson Tada and Larry Libby]
Martha loved Jesus dearly and would have
done anything for Him. Her struggle came in being
still! Martha spent so much time serving Jesus that
she had no time to enjoy His company or to get
to know Him better. The harder Martha worked,
the more frustrated she became with her sister
Mary. Mary was sitting at Jesus feet while
Martha scurried around the house to make sure
everything was in perfect order for Jesus. Marthas
service, though it started out with gladness,
deteriorated into resentment and envy.
It is good to want to serve Christ as an
expression of love for what He has done for you. Yet
when your activity consumes your time and
energies so that you have no time for Him, you have
become too busy! You may think, as Martha did, that
if you dont do the work, it wont get
done. That may be true, but Jesus taught that your
highest priority must be your relationship with Him.
If anything detracts you from that
relationship, that activity is not from God. God will not
ask you to do something that hinders your
relationship with Christ. At times, serving God and
carrying out His mission is the best way to know and
experience God. At other times, it is more important to
sit quietly at His feet and listen to what He is
saying.
We are not called to continually sit at
the feet of Jesus, otherwise our service for Him
would cease. Neither are we called to serve Him
incessantly, without taking time to find restoration in
His presence. Have you been serving God so
diligently that you have not had time to spend with
Him? [Experiencing God Day by Day by Henry and
Richard Blackaby re Luke 10:40]
ONE LINERS
The cause of Christ needs careful, energetic
workers. There is a wide field for the Marthas, with
their zeal in active religious work. But let them
first sit with Mary at the feet of Jesus. Let
diligence, promptness, and energy be sanctified by the
grace of Christ; then the life will be an
unconquerable power for good. DA525, 6 [Remnant SB]
How many of us are "Martha" today? We hurry
and scurry, doing all the needed errands and
tasks, and miss or neglect the most important thing
in our life: deepening our relationship with
Jesus Christ! Are you a "Martha"? [In His Time;
Walk With Wisdom]
PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS
Relax in My healing presence. As you spend
time with Me, your thoughts tend to jump ahead to
today's plans and problems. Bring your mind back to
Me for refreshment and renewal. Let the Light
of My Presence soak into you, as you focus your
thoughts on Me. Thus I equip you to face whatever the
day brings. This sacrifice of time pleases Me
and strengthens you. Do not skimp on our time
together. Resist the clamor of tasks waiting to be
done. You have chosen what is better, and it will
not be taken away from you. (Psa. 105:4; Luke
10:39-42) [Jesus Calling by Sarah Young]
Let the dew of My presence refresh your
mind and heart. So many, many things vie for your
attention in this complex world of instant
communication. The world has changed enormously since I
first gave the command to be still, and know that
I am God. However, this timeless truth is
essential for the well-being of your soul. As dew
refreshes grass and flowers during the stillness of
the night, so My Presence revitalizes you as you
sit quietly with Me.
A refreshed, revitalized mind is able to
sort out what is important and what is not. In
its natural condition, your mind easily gets
stuck on trivial matters. Like the spinning wheels
of a car trapped in mud, the cogs of your brain
spin impotently when you focus on a trivial
thing. As soon as you start communicating with Me
about the matter, your thoughts gain traction, and
you can move on to more important things.
Communicate with Me continually, and I will put My
thoughts into your mind. (Psalm 46:10; Luke 10:39-42;
1 Corinthians 14:33 NKJV) [Jesus Calling by
Sarah Young]
LINKS FOR FURTHER STUDY ON THIS TOPIC
Luke 10:41, 42 - One Thing is Needed.
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2016/20160514-2135.html
Matthew 4:4 - Spiritual Food Is Necessary
for Spirit Living.
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2020/20200618-0839.html
John 17:17 - Holiness from God's Word.
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2020/20201007-1438.html
Acts 20:32 - How the Bible Becomes Flesh.
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2021/20210803-1108.html
YOUR COMMENTS
If anyone has a paraphrase, commentary or
testimony on this passage of Scripture, either
personal or otherwise, I would be interested in
hearing from you. Thanks in advance and let's keep
uplifting Jesus that all might be drawn to Him. Fred
Gibbs
LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT
Most Important Decision in Life:
http://www.youtube.com/embed/WGnEuGwvXqU?rel=0
Steps to Peace by Billy Graham:
https://stepstopeace.org/
A Man without Equal by Bill Bright:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiVa7UoruIo
Seeking God Made Real:
http://vimeo.com/31489782
Prayer Made Real:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tc8VdMV26VE
Importance of Choice:
http://creationhealth.com/CREATION-Health/Choice [click on video]
Medical Seminar on Healthful Living by David
DeRose, MD, MPH:
https://www.smartlifestyletv.com/lifestart
LINKS FOR BIBLE STUDIES
Lifting Up Jesus Bible Studies:
http://www.liftingupjesus.net/
Amazing Facts Bible Studies:
http://www.amazingfacts.org/bible-study/bible-study-guides.aspx
Hope Awakens Bible Study Guides:
https://www.hopeawakens.study/lesson-header;id=2
Glow Tract Video Bible Studies:
http://www.bibleresearch.info/
LINKS FOR BIBLE PROPHECY SEMINARS
Islam and Christianity in Prophecy, The
Third and Final Conflict by Tim Roosenberg:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHSJB-fuHLU&list=PLWhQIHGTHlkaGg5Cwe3NDzWtFX8vNSpsE
Unlocking Bible Prophecies by Cami Oetman of
Adventist World Radio: https://www.awr.org/bible
Revelation Now by Pastor Doug Batchelor:
https://www.revelationnow.com/
Hope Awakens by John Bradshaw of IIW:
https://itiswritten.tv/programs/hope-awakens
Prophecies Decoded by Pastor Ron Clouzet:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1A435C5373550657
