Just…rest: Monday Devotional 5/11/20

But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things,
but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.” – Luke 10:41-42

We live in a world full of go, go, go!!!

The more you do, the more successful you are. The more you accomplish, the more important you are. The more you work, the better off you’ll be. This is just normal life for us, and we’ve grown to accept it.

Even in the church, we are wrapped up in “work”. The more conferences we attend, the better Christians we are. The more time we spend at the food bank, the more giving we are. The more we do and the more we act—that is where our value lies.

As a girl who has loved ministry her whole life, I confess that it is very easy to get wrapped up in the do than the be. To BE at Jesus feet. To worship Him alone, when no one is singing with me. To read my Bible in the quiet moments of the day. Sometimes I just want to DO so much that the prize is lost.

Mary is a woman from the Bible who knew what was important. It was better for her to spend more time at Jesus feet than to work with empty motive.

Martha is a woman with good intentions. She wanted to serve Jesus. She knew He was worth so much, and she wanted to give Him what He deserves.

But first and foremost, God asks for our hearts.

He wants us to love Him, and to know Him. The ministry has so much more meaning when it comes from an overflow of being filled up by God’s presence.

Sitting at Jesus’ feet? That’s step one.

Step two is ministry.

Now don’t misunderstand me. KEEP going to conferences. KEEP serving at the food bank. KEEP doing ministry. Don’t quit that.

But don’t forget that the true power of your ministry comes from that quality time with your Heavenly Father.

Time is the most precious thing we can give to anyone or anything.

Too often we want to squeeze all that we can into the time we have. But get this.

The best use of our time is to spend it drawing closer to God. Closer to His heart. Nearer to His voice.

You don’t want what you do to be empty! You don’t want it to be pointless. Minister from a place of surrender and God will use you SO MUCH. And it will be so beautiful to watch it happen.

Take time today, grab a cup of coffee, sit by your favorite window, and BE. Be with God. Be in His presence. Hear his word from the Bible. Listen to His voice. He is singing over you today. Don’t miss it.

Then go. Do His ministry.