Today’s reading is Luke 9:1-10:42.

“Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary” (Luke 10:41-42).

I needed to be reminded of this today. While your reading this, I’m probably working on my Tennessee house because it still isn’t ready to sell. We have built retaining walls, worked on landscaping, rebuilt the deck, painted. Yesterday, I discovered that shampooing the carpet probably isn’t going to cut it. Looks like we’ll have to have new installed. Needless to say, right now, I’m easily distracted, troubled, and anxious.

Certainly, I’m allowed to work on my house today. However, I need to keep things in perspective. I can get my house in top notch shape but that won’t necessarily help me glorify God. Today, I need to remember that the most important thing is getting to know Jesus a little better. That will help me glorify God and help me find eternal life. In the midst of hammering, painting, planting grass, etc. I need to keep Jesus at the center.

Yes, it is easy to be anxious and troubled about all these things, but if I make sure to focus on the one necessary thing, God will provide the rest.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

P.S. What struck you in today’s reading?

Today’s reading is Luke 9:1-10:42.

Poor Martha. She was so busy doing what she thought really mattered. After all, the Master was in her home. What could be more important than playing the role of hostess? Not to mention, what she was doing was serving. We all know that Christianity is all about serving. Yet, Jesus claims she was distracted. 

Distracted from what? 

From the most important thing. Martha was committing an out and out sin. I mean, had she been busy blaspheming and contradicting Jesus, that would have been a sin at any time. But being a great host and serving her guests were certainly a responsibility she would have to fulfill. The problem was she missed what was the most important thing at the time. Jesus was teaching. Instead of listening to the Master Teacher, she was busy cooking, cleaning, straightening, etc. She could get to that later, but she could only list to Jesus teach while he was actually teaching.

How easy it is to get distracted. We can get distracted by the pleasures of out and out sin. We can get distracted by our own pursuits. We can get distracted by good things that take us from the most important things. We can be distracted from Jesus by television, work, school, our families, material goals, political goals, etc. This last list doesn’t contain anything necessarily wrong, but when they distract us from the most important, they become wrong.

The fact is, I can become the President of the United States of America. I don’t believe there is anything scripturally wrong with that. But, if the pursuit and practice of that office distracts me from Jesus, I’ll be lost. I won’t stand before God in judgment able to say, “But I was president!” I can become a preacher. However, if the work I do to preserve my “preacher” status actually distracts me from Jesus, I’ll be lost. I know that may sound shocking. But it is perfectly easy to get so distracted with trying to write lessons, convert people, comfort those in need that I don’t actually maintain my connection with Jesus. 

I am easily distracted by the desire to be a famous author. I like to write. I enjoy writing. I hope my writing is beneficial and helpful to others. But sometimes I get distracted from just being a tool God can use how he wants and want to focus on how to become a famous author. What good will it do me to become famous if I’ve been distracted from the most important thing? Who knows, maybe in God’s plan I will get to that point. Or maybe not. That’s God’s business. My business today is focusing on learning from Jesus. I need to let God take care of the rest.

Today, let’s get rid of distractions. Let’s focus on knowing and submitting to Jesus and just follow wherever that leads. Some folks still stuck in Marthahood my get upset and even ask God to judge us. But when we take this path, what we do will never be lost.

***Question: What are some common distractions for Christians today?

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

Right out of the starting gate I was struck in today’s reading. John 11:6 says, “So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was” (ESV).

What is up with that? His friend is sick. He could stop it. Why wait?

By the time Jesus shows up in Bethany, Lazarus is dead. Everyone was thinking the same thing, “You’re too late, Jesus.” It seems He had waited too long.

But then Jesus pulls a turn around on everyone. He wasn’t too late at all. He simply had a different agenda than everyone else. Everyone else wanted Jesus to keep Lazarus from dying. Jesus wanted to glorify God by showing that He could raise the dead.

Here is the take away for me. Jesus is never late. Jesus doesn’t have to respond by my time table. He is always right on time for His agenda and His glory. My job is not to persuade, cajole or manipulate Him into doing my bidding on my timetable. My job is to learn His agenda and strive for it. I need to recognize that Jesus’ plans are greater than my own and trust that He will never be too late to accomplish what is truly important on His agenda.

What hit you in today’s reading?

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

PS. If you would like to listen to a lesson I preached about Thomas from these chapters. Click the link below.

Encountering Thomas at His Greatest