“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.” (Luke 10:41-42)
I read this phrase earlier this week and its truth rung true in my heart as I read it: “If the devil can’t make you bad He will make you busy”.
We have to realize we are in a daily spiritual battle and to be ignorant of this will not make it go away. The devil is always looking for opportunities to make us ineffective in our work for the Lord and to void our lives from being a vibrant testimony for Christ. One of the main things that will rob us of our vibrant walk with the Lord is losing our intimacy with Christ. “Not now Jesus I need to go fix my car”, “Not now Lord I need to watch this television program”, “Not now God I need to check my Facebook updates” "Not now Father ... I have work to get to... laundry to do... dinner to prepare.... ball game to leave for".....and the list goes on.
Making a priority in our lives to cater an intimate relationship with the Lord is vital for our spiritual walks and fruitfulness (John 15:1-5).
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Someone sent this to me quite some time ago.......
‘Satan called a worldwide convention. In the opening address to his evil spirits he said, ‘We can’t keep true Christians from going to church. We can’t keep them from reading their Bibles and knowing the truth. We can’t even keep them from having conservative values. But we can do something else. We can keep them from forming an intimate, abiding experience with Christ. If they gain that connection with Jesus, our power over them is broken. So let them go to church, read their Bibles, and have their conservative lifestyles, but steal their time so they do not have time to have an intimate fellowship with Christ. This is what I want you to do: keep them busy in the nonessentials of life and invent innumerable schemes to occupy their minds.’
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There is a principle that if grasped can keep us always focusing on what is right it is this: We are more important then what we do! Our spiritual health of our inner man effects our resulting spiritual work we do. The most important thing for each worker and co-worker in the kingdom of God is their personal accountability before the Lord (Romans 14:12).
It is not how much we have done but how faithful we have been. It is not the quantity but the quality. It is not was the job done but rather what was the motive and intents behind it (Proverbs 16:2).
The Bible says that we are to live by faith and not sight. Spiritual fruit therefore will not always be visible to our understanding and mind.
So it is possible to think that we are busy, successful yet in reality spiritual speaking we are barren!
Judas was one of the chosen apostles and arguably did what all that the other Apostles did. He learnt teachings from Jesus Himself, was anointed to heal the sick, cast our demons and was in the limelight. Yet in the end he was barren in his soul and sold Jesus for a few bucks. This revealed his true spiritual condition inside, let us not be deceived by ministry leaders that seem very busy.
Mary and Martha are an classic example of this problem that our Lord addressed. Martha was very diligent, faithful doing her work in a proficient manner yet in her heart she was comparing herself to others.
She wanted to see the work done, the job accomplished, the task completed which is admirable. Yet Jesus said to her that those things can wait, there is no rush to finish them if it sacrifices time with Me! The one great need beyond all busyness in practical life, christian life and ministry life is intimate communion and fellowship with Jesus Christ. The Lord is happy with our work for Him as He leads it. He is happy to see us work diligently yet let us always do our work stemming 100% out of our abiding time with Him. Have you been working hard, yet have drifted apart from God?
Has your intimate times with the Lord decreased yet your schedule has never been more busy? Consider praying this prayer and taking steps to sit down beside Mary at Jesus’s feet for a season. Even now to be still in His presence for the next 15 minutes.
Lord, I agree that I have been to busy, that my spiritual life has been barren and unfruitful. I never been more full of ideas and plans yet not hearing your still small voice. Forgive me for going off and doing your work without You. Forgive me for being so busy that I don’t have time to rest and be quiet in your presence. I come now and sit in your presence at your feet, I love you Lord please let me see You as more important then anything else. Amen.
Have a wonderful Wednesday!
God Bless
♥Tam
