The Word About Women
The Word About Women
Login

Distracted with Much Serving - The Word About Women

Login

Getting Started...

Getting Started...

The Ministry of Motherhood

  • Feb 25, 2021

The Ministry of Motherhood

Women’s Work

  • Feb 23, 2021

Women’s Work

The Truth About Mary Magdalene

  • Feb 18, 2021

The Truth About Mary Magdalene

The Good News Girls

  • Feb 16, 2021

The Good News Girls

Compassion for Women

  • Feb 11, 2021

Compassion for Women

Distracted with Much Serving

  • Feb 9, 2021

Distracted with Much Serving

No Throwing Stones

  • Feb 4, 2021

No Throwing Stones

She Was a Sinner

  • Feb 2, 2021

She Was a Sinner

The Eternal Thirst Quencher

  • Jan 28, 2021

The Eternal Thirst Quencher

The Laws of Love

  • Jan 26, 2021

The Laws of Love

Follow Him

  • Jan 21, 2021

Follow Him

Daughter, Your Faith Has Healed You

  • Jan 19, 2021

Daughter, Your Faith Has Healed You

In His Service

  • Jan 14, 2021

In His Service

Share in Their Joy

  • Jan 12, 2021

Share in Their Joy

Highly Favored One

  • Jan 7, 2021

Highly Favored One

The Value of a Woman

  • Jan 5, 2021

The Value of a Woman

See You in 2021

  • Nov 20, 2020

See You in 2021

In God’s Hands

  • Nov 19, 2020

In God’s Hands

A Disposable Woman?

  • Nov 17, 2020

A Disposable Woman?

A Bearer of Bad News

  • Nov 12, 2020

A Bearer of Bad News

A Wicked Queen Mother vs A Godly Princess

  • Nov 10, 2020

A Wicked Queen Mother vs A Godly Princess

A Heart for Hospitality

  • Nov 6, 2020

A Heart for Hospitality

The Willing Widow

  • Nov 4, 2020

The Willing Widow

A Wretched Woman

  • Nov 2, 2020

A Wretched Woman

Wicked Women

  • Oct 30, 2020

Wicked Women

Missed Opportunity

  • Oct 28, 2020

Missed Opportunity

How To Spot A Mother

  • Oct 26, 2020

How To Spot A Mother

A Wicked Thing

  • Oct 23, 2020

A Wicked Thing

Grace in the Genealogy

  • Oct 21, 2020

Grace in the Genealogy

Victim or Adulteress?

  • Oct 19, 2020

Victim or Adulteress?

A Relationship Ruined By Resentment

  • Oct 16, 2020

A Relationship Ruined By Resentment

Beauty, Brains, and a Blessing

  • Oct 14, 2020

Beauty, Brains, and a Blessing

Giving Back To God

  • Oct 12, 2020

Giving Back To God

Crimes Against Women

  • Oct 9, 2020

Crimes Against Women

When Women Are His Weakness

  • Oct 7, 2020

When Women Are His Weakness

Raising A Leader

  • Oct 5, 2020

Raising A Leader

A Redeemer

  • Oct 2, 2020

A Redeemer

A Dedicated Daughter-in-Law

  • Sep 30, 2020

A Dedicated Daughter-in-Law

A Woman With a Weapon

  • Sep 28, 2020

A Woman With a Weapon

The Leader of a Nation

  • Sep 25, 2020

The Leader of a Nation

The Faith of an Outsider

  • Sep 23, 2020

The Faith of an Outsider

The Daughters of Zelophehad

  • Sep 21, 2020

The Daughters of Zelophehad

The Prophetess

  • Sep 18, 2020

The Prophetess

A River Rescue

  • Sep 16, 2020

A River Rescue

The Temptress

  • Sep 14, 2020

The Temptress

The Double Standard

  • Sep 11, 2020

The Double Standard

A Daughter Defiled

  • Sep 9, 2020

A Daughter Defiled

Stolen Statues

  • Sep 7, 2020

Stolen Statues

The Unloved Wife

  • Sep 4, 2020

The Unloved Wife

A Meddling Matriarch

  • Sep 2, 2020

A Meddling Matriarch

Beyond Redemption?

  • Aug 31, 2020

Beyond Redemption?

A Salty Warning

  • Aug 28, 2020

A Salty Warning

Oppressed Yet Blessed

  • Aug 26, 2020

Oppressed Yet Blessed

The Mother of a Nation

  • Aug 24, 2020

The Mother of a Nation

The God Who Sees

  • Aug 21, 2020

The God Who Sees

Beautiful but Barren

  • Aug 19, 2020

Beautiful but Barren

Past Messages
BTBAplatform+ShannonLenz
ShannonFeb 9, 2021 7:00 am GMT

Distracted with Much Serving

 

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

 

Luke 10:38-42

 

Are you distracted with much serving? I know I am. From the moment my feet hit the floor, I am serving my family. I am even serving them in the wee morning hours and late, late at night. Back before I had kids, I identified more with Mary. I tried to wake up early enough before work to spend at least my first 15-20 minutes with Jesus. I’d read my Bible and write in a prayer journal. Then, I’d sing praises the whole half hour drive to work. I just loved to sit at His feet. By 8 AM, I had spent a great deal of time with my Lord and Savior to start my day.

 

But now, I can’t seem to wake up early enough to beat my kids awake. Rather than writing my prayers out in a journal, I find myself praying “on the fly.” Instead of contemporary worship songs, I am often singing “Jesus Loves Me” while my squirmy 9-month-old wrestles me and fights sleep. Instead of sitting at the feet of Jesus before 8 AM, I usually grumble and gripe at my beloved family members all before 8 AM.

 

My heart grumbles things like, “Why am I the only one that can find the missing shoe?” “Why do I have to ask so many times for you to get ready for school?” “Can’t someone help me clean up this mess?” Now, I have to point out that I have an amazing husband who does more than his fair share. And yet, I often get so focused on serving my family that my vision becomes self-centered. “Doesn’t anybody care that I am doing all of this for everyone else?”

 

So whenever I read the story of Martha and Mary, I get a bit defensive for Martha. I mean, I can totally relate. Why didn’t her sister, Mary help her? It wasn’t too much to ask. Good grief, couldn’t they have worked together to get the meal served and the dishes done sooner so they both could sit at Jesus’s feet? But Martha was missing the point and it appears that she was serving with a bad attitude. And sadly, I often do, too.

 

Sisters, it’s a heart issue. In Martha’s defense, I believe her heart started in the right place. Notice that she “welcomed Him into her house.” She knew Jesus was worth welcoming and she gladly let Him in. But sadly, she let all of the details of hosting Jesus overwhelm her so that she was missing Jesus Himself. Serving Jesus is important. But it isn’t the most important thing. Jesus Himself is the most important thing.

 

My friend Elizabeth Spencer put it this way, “The thing is, Martha wasn’t doing a bad thing; she just wasn’t doing the better thing.” It is good to serve Jesus. Someone needed to work in order to feed Him and meet the party’s needs. But knowing Jesus is better. Our service in Jesus’s name doesn’t save us, Jesus Himself saves us. Mary knew this so she chose Him while He could be found. She knew that acts of service in His name are temporary but having a relationship with Jesus Christ is eternal.

 

We also see Mary sitting at Jesus’ feet the week of Passover - the week Jesus was crucified. John 12:1-8 tells the story of how Martha was again serving but this time, Mary was anointing Jesus’s feet with an expensive ointment of pure nard, preparing His body for burial. But she is again criticized for her worship. Not by Martha this time but by Judas Iscariot, the betrayer. He said Mary should have sold the ointment and given the money to the poor. But Jesus once again defends Mary’s actions. Matthew 26:6-13 also tells this story. Matthew shares that Jesus said, “Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a beautiful thing to me” (verse 10).

 

The WORD about women in the story of Martha and Mary is that serving Jesus is good but sitting at His feet is best. Welcoming Him into your life is good but worshiping Him is the best thing you could ever do. Sister, don’t get so busy working for Him that you forget to know Him personally. Sit at His feet a while today.

 

Reflect

How can you serve Jesus this week? How can you spend time with Jesus this week?

 

Pray

Jesus, like Martha, I welcome You into my home and my life. It is an honor and privilege to serve You. But Lord, remind me to sit a while at Your feet every day. Knowing You is what matters most. Amen.

 

We look forward to your comments and questions below!
likeShare
  • Follow & Post
  • Login
S
Sue
2 years ago
I think a mum's work is never done, as a women we see things, and anticipate things, we are concerned for the welfare of our loved ones.

I have struggled with those same thoughts of feeling abandoned whilst doing duties etc.....and not trying to excuse it, but it can be a legitimate gripe.
However;
I think the main thing is taking time for yourself to be refreshed by Jesus. Not being so caught up in doing that you forget you also have the need for refreshing etc.

Recognizing your importance and needs spiritually, you are not just a job description, but a child of the most high living God. Our concern and womans instincts can negative gear against us if we allow it, so there has to be a cut off out of necessity.
1
likeReply
K
Kris
2 years ago
This really hit me today. I know this was offered back in February, so forgive me. I have a lot to do throughout the day so I thought in between my chores I would work on my bible studies and time with Jesus. I'm not sure if Jesus has appreciated my few minutes here and there today or not. I know I need to take time without interruption and I am working on it. First I need to get up much earlier to start my day. Thank you and Bless you.
2
likeReply
B
Toni
2 years ago
I want to serve jesus by sitting by his feet and spending time with jesus talking to him
1
likeReply
T
Maureen
2 years ago
Thank you for this realization that indeed we most effectively serve our families when we spend time at the feet of Christ our Lord first, during our day and last before we are granted restful sleep.
Amen
1
likeReply
M
Miracle
2 years ago
Paster Nat I need help
2
1 reply
likeReply
Pastor Nat
Pastor Nat
2 years ago
Miracle, how can I help?
1
like
Load more comments
  • 10,748