The One That Remains

Recently, I took this past year to read through each of the books in the New Testament. It was sort of like a challenge, I should read the thing that I said I believed in. No excuses. When I started reading, I felt an anticipation each day for what was being laid out for me. There was a time when the anticipation gave way to obligation. I began reading for information and not for wisdom or learning. The idea of completing the goal overshadowed the idea of spending time with God. I'd admit there was probably a hint of pride in being able to say, I have a plan and I am accomplishing it.

In the scene where Jesus comes to visit Martha and Mary, I can only imagine the type of anticipation the two sisters felt in having a wonderful visitor. As alot of us do in preparing for a visitor, everything must be perfect, or at least appear to be that way. At times the task of preparing overshadows the time that is spent with the individual we're preparing for.

In Luke 10:41, Martha is probably in a state of frenzy for trying to prepare for Jesus. I am making an assumption in that her heart was in the right place because she was at least making an attempt to make her home welcoming and inviting. However, Martha asks Jesus to have Mary help her in the task of preparing. This is Jesus' response.

41 “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, 42 but few things are needed—or indeed only one.[f] Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

So normally, I walk away from this passage with a reminder on how I should go about serving or my heart in serving others. In that, don't let the idea of serving or the details of serving overshadow the primary point of why we serve. But in this day, for where my heart is, and where God wanted to teach, I walked away with something totally different and unexpected.

A question resonated in my head, "What if my time on Earth is limited?" Meaning if God were to call me home soon, what would be the unfinished to-do list or worry list that would be in my head? What if there was only one thing that God really asks of me? I think what I'm gleaning from this passage is that while my mind can create many details for me to be concerned with in my life, I only need to be concerned with my relationship with God as my Father and Jesus as my Savior. And that relationship will be eternal and will transcend my last physical breath on earth. I only need to be concerned with the belief that I can come to God as my Father, learn and obey His ways, and to take each step on a journey He's asked me to take.

Note to self, it may not be such a good idea to ponder the question of how long my life will be while riding the bus, such questions usually evokes some level of emotions that may not be suitable for public viewing. Ok, it wasn't that bad, but I had to ask mysef, is this what normal 30 year olds think about?

While I have struggled with the concepts of relationships changing, friends moving away, the idea of losing my retired guide dog, my health faultering, or the passage of time making crisp memories fade, I can take heart in knowing that the one thing that remains and will never cease or fade away is God. And I can be like Mary, welcome Jesus into my heart, and sit at his feet for what He has to say.

So while I don't have any whitty comments for today, my prayer for today is that my primary concern becomes to pursue after God, have faith that all of the other details I worry over will fall into place if it is in His will, and be willing to rely on the belief that God is here with me and that's all that really matters.

Later!