Only One Thing Is Needed

I have had a week of a lifetime I feel. I have not felt this full, this loved, this beautiful, and so close to the Lord in a while. The story of Mary and Martha is such a crucial story in my life that God uses so often to draw me back to what is most important in life.

Being in ministry is working for the Lord so most people assume that working for the Lord is very fueling, you are always with God, loving Him, serving Him, and being full by pouring out. Yet, it is probably close to the opposite of that. We see when Jesus comes to the house of Mary and Martha in Luke 10:38-42 that Mary immediately sits at the feet of Jesus as Martha is BUSY doing preparations for Jesus. When Martha asks Jesus to intervene, he looks over and says, "Martha, Martha..., you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."

I experienced this first hand last week. I had been slowly moving God down my list of priorities and through hurtful and hard circumstances, God brought me to a place of brokenness and sanctification. I was in the crucible as Jesus said to me, "Caitlyn you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. You have to choose what is better, and it will not be taken away from you." Hearing those words is one thing, until I actually ran after what matters with all that I am.

God is a faithful, steady, loving, merciful, gracious, God who longs to sit with you, commune with you, and speak to you. Yet, in life and in ministry life we often never slow down long enough to say, "Here I am Jesus, my mind, my body, my soul, refine me, use me, speak to me, your servant is listening."

My ministry peeps, remember that your soul and your relationship with God is what matters most. You may think that your "work" your Bible studying for your lessons is really fueling you and that is your quiet time with God. Yet, would you read about your girlfriend or boyfriend in order to get to know them, or would you converse and listen to them? If you feel as though every day you are at work you are digging from your reserve, check yo self, check yo tank, meet with God.

I no longer want to be a Martha: I will no longer check my email before sitting with God, I will no longer study in my quiet time to simply find that scripture for my devotional that night. I will no longer clean my whole house before sitting in my favorite chair with my coffee, journal, and Bible. I refuse to allow excuses to get between me and Jesus.

I believe God moves and speaks through many avenues, here are a few that I have heard from this week.

Only one thing is needed.......to sit at the feet of Jesus and listen.