Time to Move and Time to Be Still

The world has not slowed down. In fact it has only become faster

We live lives where there isn’t enough time in the day to get everything done

From checking our FB to watching that TV program to getting the kids to school, work

Phones in over drive sometimes for calls

Athletics, School, Politics

We have never before had so much information at our fingertips

Books to read

Ten new movies a week most not worth seeing

Cooking

Cleaning

And though we have devices to make thing “easier” we have more to do than ever. Including in our churches

There are more programs and bible studies and things to support than ever before out there. So as we turn to Luke we have a story that is probably more important than ever before

Luke 10:38–42 CSB

While they were traveling, he entered a village, and a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. She had a sister named Mary, who also sat at the Lord’s feet and was listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by her many tasks, and she came up and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to serve alone? So tell her to give me a hand.” The Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has made the right choice, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Pray

Martha – means lady of the house

Mary – Wise woman

Martha and Mary are two sisters who offered hospitality to Jesus and the people traveling with him. They had a brother – Lazarus

The Three young people were friends of Jesus

These three were important to Jesus. He was always with people, they surrounded them all the time and he was often the center of the crowd. But having people that he was open with and was able to act natural with. Friends are important even for God made flesh

These three seemed to be affluent and had a house large enough to accommodate many people, And Mary could afford to buy a very expensive perfume called nard. It was a special gift, not an everyday item, but it showed they were people of means

None of the three appeared to be married. This was unusual in Jewish society where people were usually married before the age of 20. It may mean that they were quite young perhaps still in their teens or that they were on the edge of society and not acceptable in some way

Whatever the case they seem to have been young, comparatively well-off, independent and intelligent. These two women had complementary personalities

Mary And Martha

Martha was a doer, a type A. An organizer who ran a fairly large household

Mary was a thinker. An idea person.

Neither one is bad

In our society people with doer personalities are exalted. But when Martha objected to the fact that she had to work while Mary sat and listened. Sat at the feet of Jesus. This is the usual posture of a disciple of any teacher in the ancient world. Though usual males. Mary must have been quietly breaking the rule that reserved study for males.

Martha was not just asking for help. She was demanding that Mary keep to the traditional way of behaving. Jesus was ignoring the traditional role of women and encouraging Mary to think and learn

The Traditional attitude of our society is the more you do the better you are

But Jesus is teaching here that we all need to slow down sometimes

Martha was not wrong because she ran the house hold

Jesus is not promoting laziness here. He does not want us to just sit around and not accomplish or do anything. Instead what he wants is for us to slow down and sit at his feet on a regular basis

This is the disciplines that our current society has a really hard time with. Such as silence and solitude, Meditation, Prayer. More than just while we drive or doing the dishes

But time which we sit at his feet

Just us And him

Next Steps

Do you have trouble sitting at his feet

Maybe you do it to much and you need to get up and actually practice

Maybe you don’t sit with him enough

It is one of the greatest challenges of our current live

Slowing down and being just with God

We have so many other things to do

Pray