Dave's Diary

Daily Reading: Luke 10:38-42

“³⁹ (Martha) had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said.” 

Martha, who seems to have been the older sister (and was certainly the leader in the household) opened her home in Bethany to Jesus and His disciples. While Jesus was there, Martha and her sister, Mary, both had the opportunity to spend time with Jesus, but they chose to do so in two very different ways.

Martha’s love language was “acts of service” so, while Jesus taught His disciples, she busied herself with the task of preparing the evening meal. Mary’s love language, on the other hand, seems to have been “quality time”, so rather than helping Martha, she spent every moment she could in the company of Jesus. She “sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what He said“. She expressed her love and devotion to Jesus through being with Him and giving Him her full, undivided attention.

When Martha objected to Jesus about Mary’s lack of help, Jesus honoured Mary by saying that only “one thing” was truly needed and that Mary has chosen it. Could it be that, by His choice of words, Jesus was alluding to the beautiful Psalm 27:4, which reads, “One thing have I desired of the LORD, that I will seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in His temple.”?

For Mary, the best way to give love to Jesus and to experience His love for her, was to spend quality time with Him, just listening to His thoughts expressed in His teaching. Jesus longs for some quality time with you today too. May you find the grace to carve it out of your day and spend it with Him. Sit at His feet in stillness and listen to the voice of His Spirit’s whisper in your heart or His teachings in Scripture.

Lord Jesus, thank You for always being present with me, and for the grace-gift of Your undivided attention whenever I speak to You in prayer. Amen.