One Thing Needed
As the new year dawns I want to get caught up with a fresh-start attitude and attempting to be ready to pull myself up by my bootstraps and do this life right!
But how many days have begun with this kind of determination only to leave me deflated and staring bleary-eyed at the littered kitchen counters, my kids' unfinished literature papers, the incomplete workout on youtube, the unfolded laundry I keep tripping on in the hallway and the still frozen meat sitting in the sink at 5:30 p.m.? I neglect to see the list of things I did accomplish because there is always more that could and should be done. Wouldn't it be nice to boil down all the important things to do in a day to just one?
"As Jesus and His disciples were on their way, He came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what He said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, 'Lord don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!'
'Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, 'You are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her." Luke 10:38-42
I'm reading Captivating, by John and Stasi Eldrige, for the second time and if you haven't, please do yourself a big favor and read it. There is so much life-giving truth in this little book. After quoting this passage from Luke, they mention that, yes, we've all heard the story of Martha and Mary before and that we know really shouldn't get caught up in the busyness of life- don't be like Martha- but we've often wondered what the "one thing" is that Jesus says is needed. (And no, it wasn't a more simple, one-dish meal for Jesus and his disciples.)
The one thing that is needed is a captivated, adoring heart, a heart that responds to the extravagant love of God with worship.
-Stasi Eldredge, Captivating
Let this quote settle into your soul. Two things stand out to me, the grammar nerd. First, the adjectives before word "heart". I've trained my grammar students to ask "What kind?" when they are looking for adjectives in a sentence. "What kind of heart?" A captivated heart. An adoring heart. These words describe the heart we must have.
What does that look like in my day? If I am captivated by something, all my attention is there, I'm waiting for the slightest indication, the tiniest sign. If I also adore that thing, there is comfort, and joy in the waiting and watching.
The second thing I notice in that quote is the adjectival clause that begins with the subordinating conjunction "that". "What kind of heart?", we have to ask again. A heart that responds to the extravagant love of God. And then there's this beautiful prepositional phrase that modifies how the heart responds-- with worship. Ponder this for a moment and imagine what your worship fueled by God's extravagant love looks like.
Do you, like me, start to think of ways to do things for other people right away? My mind goes to things like- "I know! This would look like me loving my kids with incredible patience today! It would be acting with total kindness to my husband!"
Jesus kindly responds in the silence, "Not quite."
I'm focusing on some great fruits of the spirit. But without something to grow on, this fruit will shrivel up like the 2 week old bananas on my kitchen counter. (Which reminds me, I need to make banana bread today.)
I'm getting into the Martha mode again without realizing it. Poor Martha probably thought she was doing exactly what she was supposed to as well. She was taking care of one of the most needed thing ever after all- food -- for Jesus and His disciples. But she, and I, am forgetting our own need. We must be fed first.
"And Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst." John 6:35
Feed on Jesus, read His words of promise and adoration specifically for you. Let this love propel you into waiting and watching for His thousands of mercies in a day. I think of the cell phone ping that goes off when some incredibly unimportant thing happens on instagram. I want an internal ping going off in my mind for each time I experience the love of God throughout the day. It would sound like birds singing. Like wind in the trees, a candle flickering, snow crunching under my feet, a baby laughing, and soup bubbling on the stove. He is there, sweet daughter of His, He is constantly wooing you and giving you His extravagant love. Will you pay attention to it? Will you be captivated by Him?
