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I was struck by something that Robert was talking about the other day while reading the verses about Mary and Martha to the children. It's the story about the sister who told Jesus, "Tell my sister to get up and help me. . ." and Jesus replied that Mary was doing what was best, sitting there at His feet. Take a look at Luke 10:38 if you are not familiar.
Robert said, "I noticed three words the verses say about Martha. . . kids, see if you can find them when I read the verses. . ."
Well, I'll go ahead and give away the answers.
She was distracted. She worried. She was bothered.
These three things kept her from sitting at Jesus' feet.
Martha was distracted by all that "had" to be done.
She was worried (anxious) about - well, who knows what, but we know worry kept her from having a calm heart and spending time with Jesus.
And she was bothered. She was bothered by Mary. Instead of putting her eyes upon Jesus, she had her eyes upon others and what they were or were not doing.
This is not a Bible study I should be teaching, so I'm not. I am writing out of conviction. On a daily basis I deal with a ton of distractions, as one might could imagine.
I also fight worry. I'm not typically an anxious person, but there are certain things that can get to me if I don't fight the mental battles with the Word of God. . .
Like worry that I'm not being a good mom to each and every child God has given. That someone will slip through the cracks. Worry about the true spirituality and the hearts of my children.
Worry that I cannot defend myself or get the truth out to certain ones who have been told lies about me. I know silly, but truth is big to me. I've always wondered if it's because that is what the name "Alyssa" means: truth.
Worry that we will make wrong decisions that will bring about suffering that will be very difficult. So I guess, fear of deeper suffering? Or want of the lack of suffering?
Those are my big ones I get attacked with. There is a verse that says, "Cast your burdens on the Lord, for He cares for you." When I'm not casting those burdens I am not sitting at His feet, I'm standing on my own, trying to figure out how to fix those things I'm worried about.
Then the next thing Martha was? BOTHERED - or in some translations the word used is troubled.
I'm no theologian, but here is what comes to my mind when I hear that: bothered, troubled over other people.
Martha was judging Mary, yet Jesus points out to Martha that it's actually herself that is in the wrong. Her sin is that of being "bothered" or "troubled" over someone else. There was comparison. . .
Speaking of, and I know, a rabbit trail really, but I read this the other day and jotted it down to read to Morgan:
". . .One of the dangers of comparing ourselves with others is that it can lead to jealousy and envy--two attitudes that are detestable in God's sight.
Scripture says: “Let's just go ahead and be what we were made to be, without enviously or pridefully comparing ourselves with each other, or trying to be something we aren't.” (Romans 12:6 MSG)
If we will concentrate on becoming who GOD created us to be--instead of who we think we ought to be, or who someone else wants us to be--we will experience a sense of peace and security that will enable us to resist focusing on what those around us are doing.
You are unique! And God is fitting you for a purpose like no one else's. Cooperate with Him and His plans for you, and you can rightfully declare as David did--“The Lord will fulfill His purpose for me”! (Psalm 138:8)"
(Another thing I read recently along these lines can be found HERE.)
But for me personally where I find my battle is not in the comparison category. My mom drilled the pitfalls of comparison/jealousy so deep inside of us growing up (thanks, Mom for all those Bible studies you did with us) that. . . my sister and I though very different, had and have a tight relationship void of those things. Mom's teaching to us of the truth along these issues gave us both freedom to view ourselves and others as unique creations.
Where I find myself bothered and troubled with others is in the area of what they may be saying or thinking about me. The sin of fearing man over that of fearing God.
Or when the truth is being hidden or there is hypocrisy or fakeness and everyone is just playing along. Or maybe they don't intend to play along, but others have deceived them into believing lies. . . and it troubles me that the truth is not known.
Or when people have expectations and I can't, nor am I suppose to, fulfill them. That troubles me.
I am sure everyone is different and different things are troubling. We probably have our pet peeves. People that bother us. Beliefs that bother us. Relationships that are troublesome. Lifestyles that bother us. . . haha, blogs that bother us. (My solution to that last one is DON'T READ THE BLOG THEN - - AT ALL.)
Where am I going with this?
Well, I'm "Martha" most of the time.
I want to be "Mary."
Actually, it always bothered me, speaking of bother, that in that story Mary seemed lazy. After all, Martha needed help and there Mary sat at Jesus' feet. . .
But what I know from experience is that if I do not take time to sit at Jesus' feet I WILL be distracted, I will be worried, and I will be bothered by others. It's not lazy to sit at His feet, it is necessity for peace and rest of my soul.
It is the only way to conquer worry.
It is the only way to not get so caught up in all the non-eternal things that I forget the eternal.
It is the only way to not be bothered and troubled by that which may be wrong all around me - that which is wrong in relationships, people, politics, ministries, the news, etc. etc. etc.
I can resist being what I am naturally in my flesh: A Martha.
I can have freedom. It begins right now. Rising above that which wants to drown me, and in my heart bowing before Him - setting aside the distractions, the worry, the troublesome people - and sitting as His feet. The verse says that "Mary listened. . ."
Here I am. Lord, give me ears to hear.
I long for freedom from distractions, worry, and troubling things/people controlling my life. Freedom is worth fighting for.
Real quick - here's the cool fort the boys made last weekend. We've had an enormous burn pile in our back yard unburned due to the burn ban that has been in affect most of this past year. The boys took the wooden crates from the pile and built a fort and then recovered them once more with the burn pile, making it "camo."
Then Morgan and Brighton always "decorate" the inside and out. I love their creativity. The fort has been the after school attraction all week this week.
I love this picture - the footprints on the "door" of the fort, the little hands, and the clouds and fog we've had sitting on our hill all week.
Itty eating her grapefruit slices in the "kitchen" of the fort the other morning.
Shelton peaking in on Lake "sleeping" on the "bed" that they made for the second room of the fort. Here you can also view their "decorations."
One of the "decorations" on the wall of the fort - a plane made of cardboard put in an old frame.
Even though we've had rain enough to lift the burn ban, the children would prefer the burning not take place for awhile now.
Morgan asked yesterday if they could add Christmas decorations to the fort. I had one extra wreath that I had not hung in a window so I gave it to the girls. It ended up on the inside of the fort eventually, but yesterday afternoon Morgan had it on the outside and when I looked out my window and saw her, the fog hovering, I couldn't resist the camera.
~
When Lake saw me with the camera, she wanted to "dress up" so she joined the fort decorating party. Actually, Lakelyn plays dress up all day long. It can be "troublesome" :) but I've found it sure makes her happy. She is unique to my other girls in that she LOVES clothes in a way I've never witnessed before!
~
After a while Lake left the decorating, and wandered around the yard. . . where we both discovered some interesting siblings. Morgan had put on her "tree climbing clothes" (I'm not sure what she meant by that) and was up a tree.
Christian was being Christian - or actually, he told me he was being "Shelton." I do know what he meant by that, as it is usually Shelton who is jumping in pictures. By far my favorite picture this week:
I saw all kinds of unique-ness. Christian was barefoot in shorts. Bub had on about three coats, including Scott's coat.
Christian was adding onto the fort still.
Bub being my Bub.
I found Lake later still playing in the fort. She told me, "My house is cool."
There really is nothing I could buy for my kids for Christmas at the store that would please them as much or get as much use as this fort made out of the burn pile. Makes me wonder. . .
A. Ann
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| | Posted 12/14/2011 11:19 AM - 1622 Views
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