Listen to Devotion

“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things.”

An article on the website lifehack.org lists the top seven most common priorities people make in their lives. Those priorities are your life mission, physical health, quality time with family, healthy relationships, mental health, finances, and self-improvement.

The article claims you’ll cut back on busyness and stress by prioritizing these few things. But thinking about trying to prioritize even just seven things in life can make our heads spin. The priorities we set can worry us and trouble us as, time and time again, we fall short in each category, unable to juggle all these important aspects of life.

Martha had a lot of priorities that were making her worried and upset when Jesus showed up at her home. But, just like that list from LifeHack, she was forgetting the most important priority: sitting at Jesus’ feet.

Jesus didn’t harshly rebuke Martha though. He didn’t say, “Stop acting like you’re some kind of martyr to your own contrived busyness Martha!” He didn’t say, “Why don’t you be more like your sister Mary!” No, he just wanted Martha to realize she didn’t need to be so distracted and worried about serving him when his whole intent was to serve her. So, in a caring and compassionate tone he says her name twice, “Martha, Martha you are worried and upset about many things, but one thing is needed.” One thing is needed. To sit at Jesus’ feet and listen to the peace he gives to anxious, worried people.

You can replace that compassionate phrase of Jesus with your own name to let it sink in. Imagine Jesus saying your name twice and then adding, “You are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. I’m not looking for you to fill me up with your service or prove how well you keep your priorities. I just want you to have what I can give to you. Hear my Word. Hear my good news.”

Jesus has proven that you and your salvation are his greatest priority. Sitting at his feet and soaking up his compassion for us sounds like the best possible way to spend our time. It’s not work. It’s rest.

Dear compassionate Savior, take my worries and burdens on your shoulders. Help me to rest at your feet. Amen.

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All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.