Be Before You Do

There is an epidemic in the land and I am not talking about Covid…it is an epidemic of emotional exhaustion.

People are worn out overextended and just trying to get through the day…and calling that victory. You are made for more than that.

To prepare for todays messages Imagine if you will that Jesus has chosen to come to your home for dinner. You are overwhelmed with excitement but quite frankly you are not prepared.

Your refrigerator is empty, your house is not clean, and you also know the Jesus never comes to dinner alone. There will be several of his disciples and you want to make a great impression.

Thinking like this will give you a great perspective for the passage we are going to read. Also I want you to listen for the words and phrases that stand out for you.

Luke 10:38–42 NLT

38 As Jesus and the disciples continued on their way to Jerusalem, they came to a certain village where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. 39 Her sister, Mary, sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what he taught. 40 But Martha was distracted by the big dinner she was preparing. She came to Jesus and said, “Lord, doesn’t it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me.” 41 But the Lord said to her, “My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! 42 There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.”

What words or phrases stick out to you from the reading?

TAKE TIME TO HEAR THE WORDS AND PHRASES…HAVE A LITTLE DISCUSSION…Read again....

For me I was struck by:

The idea of Jesus and the disciples on a journey…

Martha Welcomed Jesus and he was teaching while Martha was working.

Mary sat in midst of the activity around her to learn.

Martha wanted to learn but felt that all her activity was more important than listening to teaching.

Jesus pointed out that Mary was worried about all the details…in other translations the Anxious and troubled were used.

Very little is necessary....Mary Chose what was necessary…in the midst of the busyness...

It is impossible to serve joyfully if we are more interested in the doing for Jesus than the being with Jesus.

The problem in this moment was not that Mary was not helping Martha but that Martha was working on empty.

Martha was stressed out anxious and feeling like the doing was more important than the being with Jesus. Her emotional stress was keeping her from the fuel she needed to do with Joy....That fuel is time learning about Jesus.

I think that a lot of people are feeling emotionally overwhelmed and they think it is becuase of all the activities they are involved in.

The reality is we can eliminate all the activity in the world but if we are not taking at least some of that extra time BEING with Jesus we will continue to experience emotional turmoil.

Everyday emotions are indicators of our Spiritual health as well as our mental health. If we constantly feel stressed overwhelmed, and overextended chances are we are not doing enough of the one thing that Jesus is trying to point out to Martha in this passage.

Emotional health is healed only by allowing the Holy Spirit to build your spiritual strength.

The truth is we cannot inspire healthy emotions in others if we are not healthy

What we do is important but not more important than who we are.

The state we are in is the state we give to others.

That is why it is important to choose To Be healthy emotionally and Spiritually…over everything else

Emotional health comes from choosing a closer walk with Jesus in the midst of our business.

You will notice I did not say instead of busyness. It is not realistic to believe that one can just stop doing things in order to get emotionally healthy....but it is not unrealistic to believe that we can reprioritize what is important in our lives.

Make Prayer the number one priority of everyday. Morning, Noon, and Night....

Eliminate or reschedule activities that keep you from continual spiritual growth.

Take time to be before you jump into any doing.

God is not asking you to stop doing all the things you feel like you have to do…He is not even asking you to stop doing all the things you want to do.

God simply wants you to make sure you are fully able to do all of these things with a healthy mind and heart.

Scripture is silent on this but I wonder if when Jesus told Martha that Mary had chosen the best and it would not be taken away from her if Martha stopped what she was doing and just took time to be with Jesus.

I wonder if some of us today just need permission from God to stop…Stop thinking your activity is more necessary than being with Jesus?

New Living Translation Psalm 46

10 “Be still, and know that I am God!

I will be honored by every nation.

I will be honored throughout the world.”

As we honor God…God honors us with the presence of Holy Spirit and the Joy of the Lord in all of our doing…so Be Before you do.

Silence

Communion is a wonderful way to Be with Jesus....It is a time to Remember in and intimate way the presence of Jesus is always with us.