Only One Thing is Needed
By Karen D’Amore
“Martha, Martha, the Lord answered, you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed.”
Luke 10:41
“Martha, Martha, the Lord answered, you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed.”
Luke 10:41
As Martha rushed into serving mode, meeting the needs of those around her, she became mired in the pressure and stress of ministry. Can you blame her? J-E-S-U-S was her invited guest! She’s in a frazzled frenzy… to make sure all her “falafels” are in a row! Martha’s work was important and commendable…her anxiety and compulsion about it…wasn’t. Jesus didn’t rebuke Martha for her service, but rather for her worries and anxieties over many things. In her concern to feed the Lord, she failed to be fed by the Lord. Heading to the kitchen, before spending time in the Living Room, resulted in service that was shallow, self-serving and a source of agitation. Annoyed that her sister Mary was sitting and listening to Jesus, instead of helping her, Martha agitatedly questioned Jesus and advised Him to act on her behalf. “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me” (Luke 10:40)!
Martha was preoccupied with ministering to Jesus; Mary with the ministry of Jesus. It would appear that Martha needed a priority adjustment! Our Lord is not dependent on our ministry to Him, but our life in Him is dependent on His ministry to us. In seeking to serve Jesus, Martha was hindering the sustenance of Jesus in her life. The “one thing needed” was and is abiding in Christ, drawing strength and instruction from Him. Service may not result in the study of God’s Word, but meditating on and applying Scripture spurs hearts into service.
I love the gentleness of the Lord’s rebuke as He resets the plumb line of Martha’s heart. He’s truly interested in our hearts and our hands; duty must be balanced with devotion! We must be ministered to by our Savior before we can effectively minister for the Savior. Ministry should be the overflow of time spent in communion with Him. And as our hands are anointed with the fragrance of Christ, His beauty and love will be spread while we’re serving others.
Jesus invites us all to discover “the one thing that is needed” - - the place of refreshment and joy in His presence where He fills our hearts with His abundant love and goodness…that we, in turn, would pour out His love and goodness into the lives of others.
GOING DEEPER:
1. Are the things you’re doing for God intruding on time spent alone with God? What steps do you need to take to balance duty with devotion?
Matthew 6:25; John 15:1-8; Jeremiah 9:23-24
Married to Dan, Karen, a retired police officer, currently works as a Manicurist at Craig Berns Salon. She’s a leader for Oakwood’s Tuesday a.m. Bible Study and a volunteer at the Wildlife In Need Center.
