Teaching: Pastor Macho Lara

What does it mean to remain present with God in a world that rewards urgency, productivity, and constant motion? This teaching invites us to consider presence not as a feeling we wait for, but as a posture we choose. Drawing from Luke 10:38–42, we are led into the familiar story of Mary and Martha and invited to examine where we place our bodies, our attention, and our time when Jesus is near.

Through Mary’s decision to sit at the feet of Jesus, we see that presence begins with intentional placement. Nearness is not accidental. It is formed through staying, listening, and resisting the pull of distraction. Scripture reveals that formation does not happen through passing moments or hurried attention, but through dwelling long enough for relationship to shape us. Presence requires remaining, especially when competing demands press in and urgency feels justified.

This teaching calls us to notice how distraction quietly fragments the inner life and how anxiety often expresses itself through constant motion and the need for control. Jesus’ gentle response to Martha reminds us that rest flows from presence, not resolution. As we consider what presence looks like in a city shaped by speed and efficiency, we are invited to practice attentiveness in ordinary moments, trusting that staying near to God is not wasted time, but the very space where formation and rest take root.