Yesterday marked my eighth time having girls club. So to celebrate, I promised the girls that we would learn about not just one woman, but two.
Sisters. Pretty famous sisters.
They lived in a town that Jesus was passing through with his disciples, and once they heard he was in town, they were quick to invite him to their home.
The older sister, Martha, busied herself cooking a meal for the Lord and for his travel companions, slaving away in the kitchen. And when she looked around, she noticed that her younger sister, Mary, was missing. She had been so distracted with doing things to serve Jesus that she hadn't even noticed her sisters absence.
But when Martha realized she was by herself, she was quick to right the situation.
She marched right out to the room where Jesus sat and saw Mary sitting at his feet. Soaking up every single word he said. Hanging on every lesson. Leaning in closer so as to not miss anything.
Outraged that her sister had abandoned her, Martha looked to Jesus and said, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me."
But Jesus, being Jesus, saw the beauty of what Mary did. He didn't see her actions as abandonment, or neglect, or carelessness. He saw her obvious love for God. Her desire to be close to him. Her seeking heart longing to learn from him.
He also recognized the flustered anxiety of Martha. Her heart for service, her gentle spirit. Her troubled mind from being so busy.
And Jesus knew the importance of both the sisters' actions. But there is one that is more important.
"Mary has chosen the good portion."
Oh, to be like Mary.
To sit at the feet of Jesus and listen. And adore. Glorify and honor.
To take the time to be still before him, instead of busy herself with works and good deeds.
I cannot begin to tell you how deeply this lesson for girls club convicted me this week. I love serving, that's why I'm here in Nepal. I love doing things that help other people, and benefit them. And I love doing things for the Lord.
And I find that quite often, like Martha, I get caught up in doing things. Being busy.
And I so often forget the spirit and wisdom of Mary. To just sit. To be still. To bask in God and in his glory. To take time at the end of my devotions to talk with him, not just ask for things. To appreciate HIM, not just the things that he can do for me.
I'm not sure that I articulated enough to my girls how critical it is to be still and silent before the Lord. But I sure tried. We spent time talking about Psalm 46:10 "Be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!"
And then we put our excitement into action. They were all given sketch paper and crayons. They could draw or color or write anything they wanted, as long as when they looked at it, they would remember the spirit of Mary, and they would be reminded to be still before God and to wait on him and listen.
At the end of each girls club, I always ask them to tell me what lesson we should have learned from our time together. And like a sweet song, they all said "be still before God and spend lots of time with him."
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