By Melanie
Rigney
When God saw by their
actions how (the Ninevites) turned from their evil way, he repented of the evil
that he had threatened to do to them; he did not carry it out. (Jonah 3:10)
Out
of the depths I cry to you, O Lord; Lord, hear my voice! Let your ears be
attentive to my voice in supplication. (Psalm 130:1-2)
Martha,
burdened with much service, came to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that
my sister has left me by myself to do the serving? Tell her to help me.” (Luke 10:40)
Piety
Jesus, may I focus on You in our precious times together.
Study
She was busy,
burdened in fact, perhaps even overburdened. Luke 10:40 tells
us that. And yet,
Martha doesn’t ask her sister directly, in humility and love, for assistance.
No, she engages Jesus, the guest in their home, who quite rightly rebukes her.
The hospitality I desire is your company and conversation, which Mary has
provided; the food and the place settings are of little interest, he in essence
tells her.
 |
| Matthijs Musson [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons |
Jesus loves
to hear our confidences, our little victories and our challenges. But how much
more beautiful our time with the Lord can be when we focus on Him instead of
asking Him to heal ruptures with our sisters and brothers, whether it’s because
they cut us off in traffic, lie and gossip about us, grievously injure others
in the Body of Christ, or simply can’t read our minds and help us get a meal on
the table, ruptures of the sort where we can take the first step in healing.
How much more beautiful our time in the world can be when we ask others for the
help we need… and proffer the gift of forgiveness when they don’t.
Action
That person
whose heart and actions you’ve been praying for God to change? Consider praying
for the strength to engage with him or her directly.
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