February 1, 2008 @ 6:54 am | Filed under: Mary & Martha Project

I woke up at four this morning, unable to return to sleep.

Monday night is on my mind, and I in in no way at all feel prepared yet to present what I feel on my heart for this year. Yet the past couple of weeks have been a reminder that I need not feel anxious or, really, even uncertain.

Last night as I soaked in a tub full of bubbles, I read again over the story of Mary and Martha. Inside of me, I know without a doubt everything that I want to see happen in the lives of the ladies this year. It’s almost like I can feel it just on the horizon. I guess this is what would be considered “the burden.”

God, how on earth do I communicate this burden?

Hopefully God hears bathtub prayers because that’s what I offered up to Him last night. The message seems so simple. Both women were friends of Jesus. Both women had unique talents and abilities. I have no doubt that Mary herself had served a great number of meals and - most likely - Martha had her own moments of listening instead of doing.

The fact that Jesus pointed out on this one occasion that “only one thing is needed,” and that Mary has “chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her,” doesn’t at all mean that Mary was any closer to Jesus or that He thought any less of Martha. On another given day, it could be that service was the “only one thing.” But on this day, Jesus taught and Mary - in her hunger for more - was the one to sit at His feet.

“Her fault was not that she served.” Charles Spurgeon spoke of Martha in one of his devotionals. “The condition of a servant well becomes every Christian. Her fault was that she grew ‘cumbered with much serving,’ so that she forgot him and only remembered the service.”

I know all too well the tendency to feel trapped by saying ‘yes’ to one too many projects, committees, or programs - all in the name of service. It’s all too easy to let my heart be pulled away from doing things “unto the Lord” and instead just be thankful for simply getting things done.

God, how on earth do I communicate this burden?

Last night, in that gentle way that He has with me, His reminder was that it’s not about me. Not at all.

It’s not my responsibility to pinpoint an exact plan of how to present this year’s vision. I am one woman, and not a Superwoman, at that. I have a burden, yes, but it’s more of seeing everything in shadows; knowing what’s out there and yet not being able to pinpoint it exactly.

“Remember the ‘one thing.’”

This reminder in a still, small voice made me smile.

Earlier in the morning I had been reading a sidebar in a book called The Practical Power of “One Thing.” As I had quickly skimmed the four short bullet points, I was amazed at how closely those four points echoed the past week of my life.

These two really jumped out at me.

2. Ask God to reveal the next step. As you go through your day, keep asking the Lord, “What is the one thing I need to do next?” Don’t let the big picture overwhelm. Just take the next step as he reveals it…

After last Sunday night’s service, I have come to view my days as working out this First Step that He’s given to me. Each time this week that I’ve been tempted to jump ahead, think ahead, or worry ahead, I’ve reminded myself of Step One. Blinders on until Step One is complete.

3. Have faith that what needs to get done will get done. Since you have dedicated your day to the Lord, trust that He will show you the one thing or many things that must be done. Do what you can in the time allotted. Then trust that what wasn’t accomplished was either unnecessary or is being taken care of by God.

Okay, here is where the smile turned into a full-on grin. I may have even laughed out loud. My mind immediately went back to last week, to the conversation with *him* when he told me that he takes care of everything that he can possibly get his hands to that have been entrusted to him and then he simply trusts God to take care of the rest.

I know he thinks I don’t always listen to him. But I do. I heard loud and clear. And - last night in my tubside impromptu devotion time - I was reminded of his words.

This year will be a slow-but-steady gaining of momentum and action. It began last Monday night at the planning session. Throughout this week, anointed emails have flown back and forth between committee members. On more than one occasion I’ve read something that someone has sent to the group and I’ve simply sat here at my computer and wept.

God is doing a work. It’s not about me. It’s not about one person, or one group, or even one church. It’s about something vibrant that is about to come to fruition. It’s about reconciling the Mary and the Martha within each of us.

One thing is all that is needed.

That one thing is true intimacy with Him.

And - that too - is achieved one thing at a time.