I absolutely love this time of year. I love the preparations, the decorating, the baking, the Christmas music, the delicious food, the get togethers and just the overall sense of excitement in the air. There is just no other time like it.
And every year I find myself at a crossroads at about this point in the season. So much to do and so little time. Great ideas and plans with not enough resources or hours in the day to accomplish it all. What starts out as joy can end up as frustration and irritation. And why? Because I lose sight of the One Thing. The foundation of all that is Christmas. Jesus Himself.
I was reading in Luke today about two sisters, Mary and Martha. Here’s the passage that I focused on… Luke 10:38-42 – 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 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 only ONE THING is needed. Mary has chosen what is better and it will not be taken away from her.”
Martha meant well. She was the one who invited Jesus to her home. She opened her door to him. She prepared a meal for him and took care of all the details in hosting a party where he was the guest of honor. She loved him and wanted to show him. But all of her DOING was getting in the way of her BEING. Being still at the feet of Jesus. Being close enough to hear what he was saying. Being attentive enough to enjoy his love for her. She was so worried about doing the things that she thought Jesus needed her to do, that she was missing out on what she needed from him and what he wanted to offer her. Hmmmmmm….that sounds a little too familiar for comfort…
Mary, on the other hand, was right where she needed to be – at Jesus’ feet. Loving, listening and letting Jesus love her. She was just BEING close to the one whom she knew had the words of life. She was in a position to hear what he had to say so that if he asked her to do something, she was ready, aware and available. Unlike her sister, she wasn’t stressing at all. Because her focus was on the ONE THING. The only thing that truly mattered.
I love Jesus’ response to Martha. “Martha, Martha…you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better and it will not be taken away from her.” He didn’t chastise her for being distracted. He showed compassion for her, because he knew that she was the one missing out. He wanted her to experience the “better” that Mary was experiencing and that couldn’t be taken away. His presence in her life. His love. His words of truth. Himself. The ONE THING.
My mind goes in a zillion different directions at any given time. I am prone to distraction. I continually worry that I am not doing enough, that I am not enough, that I have forgotten something or someone in my busy life. I stress that I am not doing things exactly right or good enough. Especially this time of year. I am “worried about many things.” And Jesus is calling me to remember the ONE THING. Him. To sit at his feet and savor his love and listen to his sweet voice.
Jesus, help me not to get caught up in all the busyness and miss the real thing. The ONE THING. The thing that gives everything else, especially Christmas, meaning. Help us all to not just invite you in, but to ENJOY your company every minute of every day….
