Seek First the Kingdom of God
Luke 10:38-42 NRSV
Now as they went on their way, he entered a certain village, where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to what he was saying. But Martha was distracted by her many tasks; so she came to him and asked, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me.” But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.”
AT THE FEET OF JESUS
Philip P. Bliss
At the feet of Jesus, listening to His word,
Learning wisdom’s lesson from her loving Lord,
Mary, led by heavenly grace, chose the meek disciple’s place.
At the feet of Jesus is the place for me.
There a humble learner would I choose to be.
At the feet of Jesus, pouring perfume rare,
Mary did her Savior for the grave prepare.
And, from love the “good work” done, she her Lord’s approval won.
At the feet of Jesus is the place for me.
There in sweetest service would I ever be.
At the feet of Jesus, in that morning hour,
Loving hearts receiving resurrection power,
Haste with joy to preach the word: “Christ is risen, praise the Lord!”
At the feet of Jesus, risen now for me,
I shall sing His praises through eternity.
John 6:27 NRSV
Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For it is on him that God the Father has set his seal.
Howard Marshall
When Martha rudely complained to the guest about her lazy sister, Jesus replied gently but firmly. He may have been implying that Martha was busy trying to provide an elaborate supper, when a simple meal would have sufficed. Mary had chosen to listen to Jesus, and that was more important than preparing a large supper. The story is not meant to teach the value of a contemplative life compared with a life of action, but to show that service to Jesus must not fill people’s lives to such an extent that they have no time to learn from him.[1]
Matthew Henry
Christ declared [that] Mary hath chosen the good part. For one thing is needful, this one thing that she has done, to give up herself to the guidance of Christ. The things of this life will be taken away from us, at the furthest, when we shall be taken away from them; but nothing shall separate from the love of Christ, and a part in that love. Men and devils cannot take it away from us, and God and Christ will not. Let us mind the one thing needful more diligently.[2]
Augustine of Hippo
At present, “alleluia” is for us a traveler’s song, but this tiresome journey brings us closer to home and rest where, all our busy activities over and done with, the only thing that will remain will be “alleluia.” That is the delightful part that Mary chose for herself, as she sat doing nothing but learning and praising, while her sister, Martha, was busy with all sorts of things. Indeed, what she was doing was necessary, but it wasn’t going to last.[3]
I Set My Hope on Jesus
If you have found this meditation helpful, take a moment and give thanks to God. Then share what you learned with a friend. This is how the grace of God spreads (2 Corinthians 4.15).
[1] I. Howard Marshall, “Luke,” in New Bible Commentary: 21st Century Edition, ed. D. A. Carson et al., 4th ed. (Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity Press, 1994), 999.
[2] Matthew Henry and Thomas Scott, Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary (Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, 1997), Lk 10:38.
[3] Ancient Christian Devotional Year C, p. 176.
