The good part

Mary has chosen the good part.

Martha was busy preparing food, flustered and anxious because she was trying to do too much.  Perhaps her intentions were good - she wanted to make it all "just so" for Jesus, to feed him, to make sure she was being a proper hostess.

But she missed out on the best part.

Being with Jesus.

Mary sat at Jesus' feet.

Mary wanted to be with Jesus.  Mary didn't seem too concerned about feeding or serving Jesus.

Wow!  What a lesson in love and life!

How many of us are more concerned with doing for the Lord than just being with Him?

How does that leave us feeling?  Anxious?  Frustrated?  Like we could never do enough?  Striving in our own strength?

Jesus told Martha flat out, "Mary has chosen the good part."  

It's like Jesus was saying, Thanks, Martha.  I appreciate you wanting to make a meal for me, but why don't you just sit and relax and be with Me a while?

Jesus loves relationships.  Jesus was really good at them.  Oh, make no mistake, He was, is, and always will be Lord.  And our relationship with Him is like no other because He is Lord.  There should be a reverence and respect.  

But Jesus was also human!  Oh my!  It's too much for me to take in.  The God of the universe, the Creator of all things - including me! - wants to be with me.  He wants to hang with me.  How can this be?!

He loves me.

He loves you.

We like to hang out with people that we love, don't we?

Well in that regard, Jesus is no different.  In His humanity, He desired human relationship.

That is one of the reasons why the incarnation is so devastatingly beautiful (and unique, mind you).  God lowered Himself to become a human being.  The Creator became the created.  He can relate to us!

Any sorrow, tragedy, or trouble you are experiencing, Jesus understands.

We can run to Him with all that we are, what we are going through, and He will always "get" it.

That is why Mary chose and did the better part.

Jesus wants to just be with you today.  Did you spend time with Him?  Or are you too busy working, doing, and serving?  Of course, those are all a part of life, too.  We can't just sit around all day, right?  There are people to take care of, bills to pay, jobs to work.

But in all the hubbub, nothing can compare to the good part of the day.  The time spent at Jesus' feet.  The time just being with Him, appreciating Him, loving Him, and letting ourselves be loved by Him.  

We may get caught up and anxious, like Martha, throughout the day.  But we can always return to Jesus during the day, too, like Mary.  The peace.  The love.  The belonging.  Who wouldn't want to stay there?!

Dear, precious Lord.  Too often I am more like Martha than Mary - anxiously looking about me for something to do, take care of, etc.  Help me relax and just be with You more, Jesus, throughout the day.  Fill me with Your Presence and peace so that I want to stay there and go about my day sitting at Your feet, as it were.  For that is the good part.  There is no other place, really.  In Jesus' Name.  Amen.