Martha was so busy, she couldn’t pay attention to how much Mary loved Jesus. Martha had a meal to prepare and guests to feed. But Jesus had more important spiritual food to feed her than she could possibly feed Him. Her open hearth wood stove was only a few feet from Jesus and Mary, but she wasn’t close enough. A good take on Martha’s prayer to Jesus was that she just wanted to do things right and clean up before the meal. A better understanding might be that Martha was envious of Mary’s closer relationship with Jesus. But, try this on for size – maybe the best view of Martha’s PLACE is that she could just PARK and just started a kind of verbal groaning to God about her labor for the Lord. "For we know not what we should pray for as we ought; but the Spirit itself makes intercession for us with groaning which cannot be uttered. He searches the hearts, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because he makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God" (Rom 8:26,27). The mind of Christ chooses to see the best in Martha as groaning.
Mary probably ate with Jesus what Martha prepared after this episode. But I seem to be drawn into this story so as to make a choice between Mary and Martha’s behavior and something in between.
Working with law enforcement this week involved a father killing his 3 young children and then himself was followed by the traffic accident death a 24 year old rooky officer Eddy McCrorey, who had investigated that earlier homicide. This gospel lesson tells me that I can chose to meet the upcoming wants, needs, and just plain groaning of others and ourselves like Martha AND I can chose to listen to what God has to say like Mary.
Martha loved Jesus like Peter loved Him by preparing to feed the sheep (John 21:15-17). But Jesus was feeding Mary the bread of life with His word. You’re like Mary when you bring yourself and others to this PLACE, His church and trust that Jesus will be here to give the word of God. Martha chose a good portion and maybe the best portion that she could imagine or see within her agenda filled life. But she wasn’t in the same PLACE as Mary & Jesus. Martha’s prayer to Jesus tries to empower her control and her agenda. Mary silently listened. This Hebrew woman listened AND obeyed according to the meaning of the word “shma.”
Martha asks an embarrassing question to Jesus intended for Mary’s ears. Martha’s manipulative prayer assumes that her work is the better portion of what must happen in the current circumstances. She wants Mary and Jesus to RESPOND. But Jesus sets her and the rest of us straight with a request to PARK – what our true PLACE is – what He ASKS of us – how we should RESPOND and to who we are – His KEN.
In verse 49 Jesus says, whoever does the will of our Heavenly Father is Jesus’ brother, sister and mother. Jesus wants us to be His sister and brother, too. PARK first, before driving with Jesus.
Martha’s prayer to Jesus shows she didn’t know her PLACE. Jesus message to Martha ASKS her to join them in the brother-sister relationship. Then Martha has a choice of how to RESPOND to Jesus. And if Martha recognizes her PLACE, listens to what Jesus ASKS, and RESPONDS correctly, then she shares true KENSHIP with Jesus and with Mary.
Martha mis-PLACES herself by asking Jesus to make someone else do something. This is not the kind of intercessory prayer that God really wants from you and me. Martha wants Mary not to listen to the words of Jesus, but instead to listen to her words and what she wants to do. If you want to make God really laugh, just tell Him your plans.
Jesus ASKS and speaks directly to Martha, just as Martha has spoken directly with Him. We have a God who wants dialogue with us. God will engage and will answer our questions about practical things and not just about the meaning of life type stuff that may not get us through our immediate challenges and concerns in daily situations. Here’s how a farmer named Curt Arens in Nebraska listens to God’s loving questions. Sometimes when he prays, he admits that he does all the talking. It seems as if he’s not praying unless he’s babbling on about what he needs or - more likely - wants from God. Seldom does he consider sitting in silence to pray. But some of the most dramatic prayers of Curt’s life have been silent. Once, tired from a day of farm work, he plopped down in a straw pile for a rest. As he gazed up at the dimming sky, he heard every sound around him. He listened to the calves nearby, munching hay. The hogs snorted quietly in their own bed of straw.
Curt says, “While I enjoyed these pleasant sounds, the Lord spoke to me in a profound way by showing me some of the joys of my labors that I'd taken for granted. My attentive silence was a prayer, and the gentle noises around me were God's way of answering. Like Samuel, I had to listen in order to understand God's message.”
Martha has a choice about how or whether to RESPOND to Jesus with words. Silence is frequently the best answer, especially when Jesus demonstrates the better choice with Mary’s example right in front of your objections. Martha-like arguments for greater participation and involvement in the church is not a lost cause, because we are the bride of Christ. But we may be asked to do something like listen first and foremost before and during our tasks to God’s glory. Lost causes do not mean lost lessons for God’s next assignment in your life. Great love for God and for others – along with all great achievements involve great risk. And Jesus wants to be with you while you’re taking those great risks and doing His work.
Jesus invites Martha and each one of us who PARK ourselves in this message to chose the better portion and become His KENSMEN like Mary by listening His words. When I am on a PAR with Martha, then I’m like the Good Samaritan who forgot to leave the inn and let God take over. When I PARK like Mary, then I will listen and obey. KENSHIP with Jesus means that my service and kindness silently points to Him without my own selfish or ulterior motives. If I will PARK with Jesus, then it’s OK to be honest and frank like Martha AND serene and happy like Mary, regardless of how much others may misunderstand or show jealousy toward me.
Just like Mary and Martha, Jesus wants to feed us in PARK mode with His word so we will later witness our resurrection as those sisters saw their brother Lazarus raised from the dead.
Dear Heavenly Father, our PLACE is with You. You ASK us to give our best as Jesus does for us. Help all of us to RESPOND in silent prayer with You so as to do Your will, Father. Then we will be Your children, in the blessed name of our KENSMAN, Jesus the Christ, Amen.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment