10-4-2018

     Good Morning All,

                  Luke 10: 40; “But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.”

     Nose counters; they can be some of the best servers in a group.  You know at least one of them, probably a whole lot of them.  They are the ones, at any gathering, who worry that there is enough.  Is there enough food?  Well cook some more potatoes and there is a spare ham in the freezer just in case.  Is there enough to drink? Make some more coffee and juice.  Spread the nuts and mints around so it looks like there is more there.  Do we have enough chairs?  Is it too hot in here? No?; is it too cold in here?  They worry and fidget the whole time the party is going on.  You wonder how they can even enjoy them.

     We all know people like that; people who let the distractions get in the way of enjoying the festivities.  They are so busy trying to do something, trying to be sure everything is perfect and up to someone else’s unknown standard that they miss out on what is going on.  They don’t visit with their friends.  They don’t hear the music.  They don’t listen to the speaker.  They are too busy doing stuff.

    Martha was a “nose counter” and at the worst possible time!  She was more worried about hors d’oeuvres and what to serve for drinks than to sit and listen to Jesus.  Rather than hear the loving words of her Savior, she was worried about potato salad.  She let the insignificant overwhelm the important.

    How often do we do that?  Usually, all the time.  If we sat down and really thought about it, most of our worries, most of the things that keep us sleepless at night, are really not that important.  The only thing that they really do is to keep us from listening to Jesus.  We let all the distractions of this life keep us from hearing the wonderful words of God’s love.  We let things that really have no long-lasting significance determine our contentment.  We worry about finding places to park or what to eat or where to eat pile up in front of us.  We lose sight of God looking at all the mistakes or missteps rather than seeing God’s grace ever present in our lives.

    Sometimes, like Martha, we need to be told to “choose the good portion” like Mary did.  For us the “good portion” is found in God’s Word, taking comfort in its saving message.  It is found in prayer, speaking to God with our hearts open to him.  It is found in the consolation of our Christian brothers and sisters.  That is the good portion for us, resting in the comfort of our relationship with Jesus.  We find our comfort and our hope in his loving arms; stay there and rest securely.

Father of all mercy, too often I find myself lost in the problems of this world and losing focus on what is the good portion.  I see my working as more important than your love.  Keep me mindful that it is your everlasting grace that keeps me safe and saved.  Be with those who are overwhelmed by the cares of this world.  Bring them to know the good portion which is your love.  In the precious name of Jesus, our risen Savior, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret