Don’t Miss the Moment at His Feet

Do you ever see yourself in one of the Bible characters we read about? One story in Luke 10:38–42 always convicts my heart as I wonder which character I would be more like, Mary or Martha. In this passage, Martha opens her home to Jesus but becomes distracted by serving, while her sister Mary sits at Jesus’ feet and listens to His words.

I come from a home where my mother had designated days for chores. Monday was for washing, Tuesday for ironing, Wednesday for linens, Thursday for cleaning upstairs, Friday for cleaning downstairs, and Saturday for preparing for Sunday. When company was coming, the entire home was given an extra once-over. Food was prepared in advance with menus carefully planned. Most gatherings had a theme with matching napkins and decorations. So, I imagine I would have taken on Martha’s role in that scene.

But what I would have missed. Think about that rare opportunity to sit at Jesus’ feet. It reminds me how easily our busy lives get in the way. We prepare for meetings, plan events, organize tasks, check calendars, place orders, and make lists. It goes on and on. Meanwhile, Jesus is speaking softly, and we often do not take the time to listen. We have to make the time.

If I wanted to give Martha the benefit of the doubt, I might say she wanted to sit at Jesus’ feet, but she also wanted to serve Him. Her use of time that day should not be dismissed. We see Martha three times in the Gospels, and she is serving every time. I realize I need a balance between serving and sitting quietly, between Martha and Mary.

I recently read a devotion that encouraged me as I considered Martha’s choices. When Jesus arrived, it was Martha who went out to meet Him. Though she said that if He had been there Lazarus would not have died, she also said, “Even now I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give you.” Her servant heart was rooted in deep faith. It was Martha who heard one of Jesus’ most powerful statements in John 11:25–26: “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die, and whoever lives by believing in me will never die.” Even in her activity, Martha still heard from God.

So however we spend our time for the Lord, may it reflect both serving like Martha and listening like Mary. This is my prayer for all of us as we serve here at Bunker Hill, whether through missions or in other areas of ministry. The important thing is that we hear Him when He speaks.