Daily Reading for Wednesday, Feb. 6: Serving

“38 And as they went on, it happened, He also entered into a certain village. And a certain woman, Martha by name, received Him into her house. 39 And to this one was a sister being called Mary, who also was sitting alongside, at the feet of Jesus, and heard His Word. 40 But Martha was distracted about much serving. And coming on she said, Lord, is it not a care to You that my sister left me alone to serve? Then tell her that she should help me. 41 But answering Jesus said to her, ‘Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, 42 But there is need of only one; and Mary chose the good part, which shall not be taken from her.’” Luke 10:38-42 LITV

Have you ever felt like Martha? I know I have. In fact, I know I’ve acted like Martha a lot more than I’ve acted like Mary. It is so easy to get “distracted with much serving” so that we lose sight of the whole reason we’re serving in the first place. I’ve been in Martha’s shoes before; and I know how frustrated I’ve become with others when it seems like they get to sit at the Lord’s feet while all I get to do is work, work, work. And then the Lord takes me aside, and says, “Jennifer, Jennifer, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but there is need of only one.” What He tells me is that I have to choose whom I will serve—the things that demand my attention or the Lord who deserves my attention. We often miss the point that Mary was serving the Lord, too, that day. Her service to Him was to sit at His feet and receive the Word He was giving out. Jesus said that she chose the good part—to serve him in quiet worship at His feet.