MARY and MARTHA

LUKE 10:38-42

38)  Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.
39)  And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word.
40)  But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.
41)  And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:
42)  But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her. 

 Martha was over-occupied with much serving. How busy she was in her service for the Lord, running around and doing this and that! Mary sat at the feet of Jesus, listening to Him speak. She quietly remained there seeking to become better acquainted with her Guest, building a sweet relationship and fellowship with Him. Martha, however, had no time for this. Wouldn't the Lord be so pleased with all of her activity? "And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: but one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her" (Luke 10:41-42).

MARTHA	MARY
LUKE 10:38-42	LUKE 10:38-42
Martha was SERVING	Mary was SITTING
Martha was WORRYING	Mary was WORSHIPPING
Martha was HURRYING	Mary was HEARING
Martha was busy with the WORK	Mary was attentive to the WORD
Martha was troubled about many things	Mary was concerned about one thing
Martha was trying to UNDERTAKE	Mary was trying to UNDERSTAND
Martha was OVER-OCCUPIED	Mary was OCCUPIED WITH CHRIST
Martha was LABORING	Mary was LEARNING and LOVING
Martha was ENERGETIC	Mary was ENJOYING the Lord
Martha was BUSY and BOTHERED	Mary was BLESSED

Are you a "Mary-like" disciples of the Lord Jesus?  In a "Martha world" (so busy and hectic) we need to have a "Mary heart."   May God give us Mary's heart to adore; Martha's hands to serve.

 

Martha in the kitchen, serving with her hands;
Occupied for Jesus, with her pots and pans.
Loving Him, yet fevered, burdened to the brim.
Careful, troubled Martha, occupied for Him.

Mary on the footstool, eyes upon her Lord;
Occupied with Jesus, drinking in His Word.
This the one thing needful, all else strangely dim:
Loving, resting Mary, occupied with Him.

So may we, like Mary, choose the better part:
Resting in His presence--hands and feet and heart;
Drinking in His wisdom, strengthened with  His grace;
Waiting for the summons, eyes upon His face.

When it comes, we're ready--spirit, will, and nerve;
Mary's heart to worship, Martha's hands to serve;
This the rightful order, as our lamps we trim--
Occupied with Jesus, then occupied for Him!

--Lois Reynolds Carpenter

In every pertinent passage, Mary is found at her Saviour's feet:

uke 10:39--And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his Word.

John 11:32--Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw Him, she fell down at His feet, saying unto Him, "Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died."

John 12:3--Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment.