Teach us to sit at our Lord’s feet, listening to His teaching.

A reflection on Luke 10:38-42

³⁸ Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. ³⁹ And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. ⁴⁰ 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.” ⁴¹ But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, ⁴² but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”

Wouldn’t it be a shame if we were distracted by things that were lest than what life is all about? Wouldn’t it be a shame to gain the whole world, or even some of it and lose our eternal soul?

Jesus said: “And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.” (John 17:3). True life, eternal life and joy comes through a relationship with the Eternal God through Jesus Christ. Don’t miss that in your life!

But here’s probably the heart of the passage from Luke and where it strikes me time and time again: Martha was ‘distracted’ with ‘much serving’. In fact, she was serving the Lord Jesus Christ. You can only imagine if Jesus was in your house and you were the host that you would want to put on a pretty good spread!

Here’s the thing: In all her serving Him, she was distracted from the most necessary thing, the most joyous thing, the most important daily need of the disciple: to sit at our Lord’s feet and listen to His teaching.

Here’s where I am challenged: Do I go into my day to get done all those things that are even good things and even help others and neglect the relationship that should drive all I do?

Do I miss out on sitting with my Lord daily in His word where my anxieties and troubles seem so small in the light of His glory and grace? Is sitting at His feet my priority, my joy, my delight – is it my daily need, the one thing necessary, that ‘good portion’?

Because I am reminded often that it is when I neglect this daily need – even by being very busy and distracted with much serving that in fact I find myself anxious and troubled by many things.

Oh Father, teach us to sit at our Lord’s feet, listening to His teaching. Thank you for your Word where our anxieties and troubles are lifted in the peace that only comes from You – from knowing You.

You are the God we were made for – to know You.

Help us not to miss that, but rather to sit in peace at Your feet.