This week, in our Luke series, we’re reflecting the account of Mary and Martha. Today, let’s briefly consider how we can ensure that our busyness doesn’t turn into anger.
‘As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”’ (Luke 10:38-42)
Lesson: We know that we are distracted from Jesus, rather than busy in His service, when we are regularly assaulted with anger.
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Being busy is a good thing
Being like Martha is a good thing. We are told that she opened her home for Jesus. There would have been no food if she hadn’t prepared it! Being busy can be richly rewarding, but it can also lead to great brokenness. Using our time well, will mean that we are busy and when we are filled with God’s truth and presence these seasons can be very rewarding; however, the world the flesh and devil love to make us busy for the wrong things or with the wrong attitude. Paul speaks of his exemplary and healthy God-sustained busyness:
‘But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.’ (1 Corinthians 15:10)
We can all be like Paul or like Martha in our busyness. The pressures of life, when sustained by God’s grace, are sustainable and productive.
Busyness can turn sour
The problem was that her busyness led her to anger. Why was this? What led her to attack Jesus with, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” I’m sure that we’ve all had times when we’ve felt that Jesus was not helping us as we feel He should and we’ve been tempted to judge Him. It seems to me that the heart of her problem was that she was judging Christ as being uncaring. She allowed faith in Jesus’ love for her to be overshadowed by accusations of Jesus. Being busy becomes overwhelming and angering when we lose faith that Jesus is with us and is caring for us. Added to this, busyness turns sour when it’s driven by legalism; If we get busy to earn God’s and people’s favour, we put them in our debt and attack if we don’t feel that they are paying us back for our hard work.
Response
We know that we are distracted from Jesus, rather than busy in His service, when we are regularly assaulted with anger. Martha lost faith in Jesus’ awareness and care as she became distracted and busy. If we are becoming angry in the busyness of life, it’s time to make time to listen to Jesus and have our faith in His love restored. Busyness can become like a storm. In the following account, we see the disciples make a similar accusation to Jesus:
‘Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”’ (Mark 4:38-40)
Today, we are not talking about how to make our lives less busy. Rather, the focus is on how faith in Christ can fill our busy lives with sustaining joy. So, as we go into each day, let’s ensure that our hearts are filled with the words:
‘I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation… I can do all this through him who gives me strength.’ (Philippians 412-13)
COMMUNITY GROUP NOTES AND STUDY
1. Notices
It might be good to begin with notices. Please share from this week’s Church News.
Please ensure that the members of your group are aware and familiar with using the daily devotionals, which are accessed in Church News, the Teaching button on the website and are now available on the major podcast platforms.
2. Icebreaker
How has God been speaking to you from His Word this week and how has this helped you?
3. Worship together
Let’s begin our time together by lifting our eyes and hearts to worship our great God. Perhaps you have readings and songs that you would like to use together. Let’s be open to the gifts that the Spirit wants to give in order to encourage one another.
4. Study and pray together
Our message from our series in Luke on Sunday, based upon Mary and Martha from Luke 10:38-42. This narrative follows on from The Parable of the Good Samaritan, and I trust that we can see the similarities between the Samaritan and Martha; Luke, it seems, does this as a balance to teach us that practical love is very important, but it’s vital that our practical love and service flow out of our devotional life. Luke uses this narrative to, again, emphasise the need to listen to Jesus.
Please read Luke 10:38-42, and discuss:
Did God speak to you about anything specifically from Sunday’s message?
What does Jesus reveal as the most important thing for every one of us?
Let’s review a few ways that Luke has already been emphasising listening to Jesus; read: Luke 6:49, 8:15, 8:18, 8:21, 9:35. Why is listening to Jesus so important?
What distractions and less important things distract you from sitting at Jesus’ feet in prayer and the Word?
What’s your current devotional habit? When, where and what do you do? Or, what plan would you like to start? (Using our Come to Jesus Daily Devotionals, would be a helpful addition).
SIV - Why will following Mary’s exam
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