Luke 10:38-42   

Luke gives us a brief description of Martha and Mary who invited Jesus into their home.  Here Luke tells us that Martha made the invitation and began to prepare a meal for them all.  She was, "worried and bothered about so many things".

 Here she was with the Lord of all sitting in her dining room.. and all she could think about was the fact that her sister wasn't helping.  She was in the Presence of the Prince of peace, yet she was "bothered".. troubled.. disturbed.  And she was "anxious".. thinking only about her work.. her preparations.. her service.. she was "distracted" to the point that she was missing the "good part". 

Does this hit home?  Are we often so  "bothered.. anxious.. or distracted" about our service to the Lord that we actually miss the "good part"?  Do we miss Him?

Mary didn't miss it. She was "listening to the Lord's word, seated at His feet."  Mary wasn't being lazy or ignoring her sister's need.  She was in the Presence of the Lord and she couldn't move away.  This is the same Mary who anointed the Lord with the expensive perfume and wiped His feet with her hair.  Mary was not distracted by the preparations.. she was so drawn to Jesus that she probably wasn't even aware that there was anything more needed. 

I don't think that Martha loved the Lord any less than Mary.. but she was a doer.. and she was busy "doing" her own thing.  Mary, on the other hand, was able to just "be". She wasn't striving for anything more than to just be with Jesus. 

Father in heaven, help us to be more discerning in our own lives.. to not miss the "good part" by worrying about our own "service".  Let our hearts and minds be so absorbed in the Presence of Jesus that nothing else can compare.  Keep us from the distractions that take our focus off of the Lord. Help us Lord Jesus we pray in Your Mighty Name, amen.