What is better?

In the warmer months of the year, I enjoy my morning time with God sitting on my patio. With the birds chirping and the bees buzzing, I feel closer to God there. This morning, as I sat there struggling to get into the groove of my routine, (i.e.- devotion, scripture, prayer,) I was distracted. Not by all of creation, but more with the things I needed to do for the day. I made myself open my Bible. As the red letters leaped off the page, the verse did what God intended it to do. Jesus asked, “What is better?”

Immediately, I jumped up and headed back into the house, leaving my time with God behind. With an idea of my next blog, I ran straight to my computer to capture my thoughts. More importantly, I needed to write this blog and mark it off my list for the week.

“What is better?”

Luke 10:42 reads, “but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Jesus’ words, “what is better?” have plagued me this week. I am sure you are familiar with this passage. I know I am, all too well. This is the story of Mary and Martha. Jesus has come to their home to visit and Martha is busy with all the preparations of having a guest. I can relate to this scene. One, I stay so busy with things. And two, when we have friends and family over, I turn it up a notch. Cleaning the house, putting my stuff away and making everything just so.

When Jesus enters, Mary recognizes their Teacher is here. He has come. She senses the importance of this time and chooses to stop what she is doing and sit at his feet as a student would. She chooses to be present in the moment.

Martha is too busy to stop and be. There is too much to do. Or maybe she is more concerned with pleasing Him and others. I can relate to that. But the magic is in the moment and she misses it.

Ironically, the very question that Jesus asks, “What is better?,” prompted me to get busy writing my blog, thus forgoing my time spent with God. Funny, I think I missed the the message.

From my study notes, Luke 10:42 takes me to Psalm 27:4 which says,

“One thing I ask from the Lord,
    this only do I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
    all the days of my life,
to gaze on the beauty of the Lord
    and to seek him in his temple.”

Do I seek the Lord?

Do I seek the Lord? Not today. Today, I left God behind to finish my to-do list. I chose my busy-ness over God. What is better? What is better?

We have to choose God first, to stop and be present in the moment. Because in the stillness and silence of our sacred time with the Lord, we come into His presence. Or maybe He comes into ours. Either way, we are refreshed, renewed, and transformed.

Matthew 6:33 says, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

We have to seek God first, choose God first, make God first in our lives.

True confessions here, I had to stop writing this blog in order to resume my time with God. I literally got up and walked back out to the patio, sat down and asked God to forgive me for skipping ahead. I long to be more like Mary and less like Martha. So, I am choosing to spend time with God first. What is better, a busy hurried life or a life spent with intention, a life spent honoring God in all we do? What is better? You choose.

Let us pray,

God of all that is, forgive me for not choosing You first. Teach me how to seek You in all things. Help me honor You with my life. Thank you for loving me so much You sent your Son to show us the way. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

P.S. – leave me a comment below because I love hearing from you. Forward this message to friend and ask them to subscribe to my website where they too will receive these encouraging messages each and every week. Post on Facebook and tag me in it. Until next time, choose God first. -M