A study in grace

Whilst on the bus reading the well known story of Mary and Martha(http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%2010.38-42;&version=47), I realised that what Jesus is giving us here is a case study in grace.

Picture the scene. Someone VERY important is coming to town for their dinner and you have the responsibility of hosting. "Quick, get the hoover out, clean the lounge, pick up the clothes from the bedroom floor, make sure you get in Tesco's 'finest'. We simply must make a good impression. He's arriving now, get the red carpet out. Did you scrub it love? Now sit down over there sir, make yourself at home."

This is Martha's response and it is one of activity. Even when Jesus has arrived she is too busy preparing to enjoy the real gift on offer; his presence. It says in the text that "Martha was distracted with much serving." How often are we like that? How often do we get so wrapped up in what we can do for God that we forget what really matters to him, just that we would let him teach us.

Jesus sees right through her doing to her being. She is not serving him from a place of love but from one of anxiety. He says "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary." Martha can't sit still because she is anxious and divided. She has too many things going on but all Jesus requires is one thing. Her response only enforces her anxiety. Rather than ask Jesus to heal this wound in her soul she fills it with doing and activity. This leads her into resentment toward her sister and bitterness toward Jesus. Do you know someone like this? I do; me!

But grace is not earned, it is recieved by faith.

There is a better way and Mary has chosen it, which is to simply sit at Jesus' feet. Sitting at Jesus' feet is a sign that we have taken our place as his disciple, allowing him the place as teacher and Lord. The one thing necessary is Jesus and him alone. Only he will do. Mary has chosen to listen to him, to be with him and to follow him. To let her wounds be healed by his words. To allow him to speak to her soul by giving him the space he deserves. Jesus sums it up when he says "Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her."

Yes indeed, Mary is the one who has chosen what is right, good and proper. Martha thinks Mary is lazy, but Jesus is saying she is wise. The challenge for us is clear. Where we feel anxiety, bitterness and resentment and are placing these things on to God, we need to STOP and LISTEN. We need to learn to sit at his feet once more, to let his words percolate down to the deepest parts of our being. To allow him to tell us who we really are in the essence of our being, rather than being distracted from it by our doing. We must eschew the many things to choose only one thing, Jesus himself. When we are in this position every single act of our being is worship to God.