“Sitting at the feet of JESUS!”

Being one whose attention span has always been not very long, sharing a devotional this long has been considered “WELL, THAT’S TOO LONG”!!!  However, I was researching how to assure that WE ARE HEARING FROM GOD (Luke 10:39) like Mary was doing when I noticed Romans 12:2 in the preceding paragraphs of the online study.   My pastor is in a series of sermons on Romans 12:1-2, so it caught my eye.  Throughout the next days I have been digesting the words of this study as I sit at the feet of JESUS and soak in what HE has for me with these words!!

“As Christians, we cannot allow ourselves to be swept away in the undercurrent of the “cultural stopwatch”. Romans 12:2 says, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

The Bible places HIGH VALUE on REST and PEACEFUL living. During Jesus’ earthly ministry, He Himself ESCAPES the BUSYNESS of the crowds occasionally to renew His strength. Mark 6:31 says, “Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to [His disciples], ‘Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.’” IT IS DIFFICULT, IF NOT IMPOSSIBLE, FOR US TO HEAR GOD’S still, quiet voice OVER THE ROAR OF THE 21ST-CENTURY CROWDS, so, like Jesus, we must MAKE TIME to REST and HEAR FROM OUR LORD.

A great example of the consequences of busyness is showcased in 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 be 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 few things are needed—or indeed only one. MARY HAS CHOSEN WHAT IS BETTER, and it will NOT be taken away from her.’”

If we are honest, most of the time we resemble Martha more than Mary. We rush around doing “what needs to be done,” while missing the glimpses of Jesus all around us. As difficult as it is, and AS CONTRARY TO OUR CULTURE AS IT IS, we must INTENTIONALLY make the effort to SLOW DOWN  and model Mary because, as Jesus Himself said, “Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.””

“The Bible places HIGH VALUE on REST and PEACEFUL living”. How often have I been guilty of burning the candle at both ends in an effort to do it all on my own?  If we all are honest, KEEPING THE MAIN THING, THE MAIN THING is probably our greatest failure as Believers.  We allow our time with the LORD to sometimes be placed behind our family, our work schedule, television, sporting events, and even church schedules!  That’s right, church schedules can detour our allegiance to worshipping the CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSES when we fail to place HIM ahead of our acts of obedience.  Resembling Martha more than Mary should be something we all try to avoid.  “Sitting at the feet of JESUS” is more than a great song, it is away to live our lives!!!

https://youtu.be/4BT-3TSLRJ0