Day 1 of 40 Days to Resurrection Day
Today’s suggestion:
Ask God to reveal Truth to you during these days of preparation.
Plan on spending time with Him, not just doing things for Him.
I’ve been a busy girl most of my life. Sometimes, often, I’ve been too busy.
I may have been more of a Martha than a Mary at times. Yet when I think of it, Jesus loved them both and enjoyed visiting in their home at Bethany. He surely valued the traits in both women, saw their strengths while being aware of their weaknesses.
The story in Luke 10 is all too familiar to me. Martha is busily making preparations because isn’t that what you do when company comes? Feeding her guests and making them comfortable would certainly seem a priority. Meanwhile, Mary is sitting at Jesus feet listening to what He has to say. Impatiently Martha actually accuses the Lord of not caring about her and all the work she has to do. And she gives a command to Jesus, “Tell her [Mary] to help me.”
Wow. The audacity of Martha. Does she hear herself speaking words of accusation and bossy-ness? I hate to admit it, but I think I have been Martha at times.
Jesus’ reply is classic and so relevant to me today. “Only one thing is necessary. Mary has made the right choice.”
It would do us well to find out, what is the One Thing?
Time with Jesus. Listening to Him. Stopping the anxious thoughts and multi-tasking that always, always looms ahead.
Just.Be.With.Jesus.
Hard to do, isn’t it? The “being” part. It’s not something I put on my to-do-list or check off with accomplishment each day. I wonder why it is so hard for us to come away and spend time with Him, just be in His presence, listen to His words from the Word and gaze upon the beauty of the Lord?
Could it be that the enemy of our souls knows too well that this One Thing will keep us on track in our Christian walk, this One Thing will set our priorities straight? This One Thing can help us start the day with a clearer perspective of who we are and Who He is.
As we begin our 40-day journey, keep this truth in mind: Jesus wants you more than He wants what you can do for Him. It can be a shocking realization.
Of course there is work to be done in the kingdom. The fields are ripe for harvest and the workers are few. But how can we do the work when our hearts are empty of Him? How can we be sure we are doing the One Thing that is most important on His list if we haven’t talked to Him and stilled ourselves long enough to listened?
Relationships are built on time spent together. The more time, the stronger the bond. The more time, the more I know you. The more time, the fonder I grow. The more time, and I realize I cannot live without you in my life.
Spend time with Jesus during the next 40 days. Make it first on your things-to-do-today.
Here are just a few suggestions to keep us focused.
- Get up earlier, as hard as this is. Make it the best 30 to 60 minutes of your day. Have your coffee, tea or favorite morning beverage ready. Sit in a comfortable chair and open your Bible to feast on His words to you. Know for certain that Jesus wants to speak personally to you.
- Set an alarm throughout the day to remind you to take a breath, look heavenward and remember your God is in control and with you always.
- Quote a favorite Bible verse throughout the day as a reminder of His peace and love for you.
- At dinner, talk about being with Jesus and how that looks to the people in your family.
- When you lie down for the night, speak to God as you close your eyes, thank Him for His provision and gifts. Drift off to sleep with Him on your mind.
Friends, Jesus said “One thing is essential and Mary has chosen it. It is the main course.”
Don’t neglect the main course. It’s where we get our strength for the journey. Let’s do this thing together for the next 40 days. And maybe, just maybe, we will find it the greatest necessity of our lives and will never want to go a day without it again.
I’ve loved this song by Larnelle Harris for a long time. It is the heart cry of our Savior’s longing for us.
Peggy's Journal 