Monday Meditations with Mary and Martha

"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 (NIV)

Do you ever feel like God repeatedly puts a Scripture before you, making sure He drives home the message?He seems to do that in my life.  He knows me better than anyone else, and I suppose He realizes that if I only hear it once it might just flow into the oblivion of my sundry thoughts...and get lost there in the abyss.

I think it appropriate and perhaps a little ironic that He would have me ponder the attributes of Mary and Martha at a time when I'm facing a new year and considering all that I would like for Him to "make new" in my life.  My thoughts have centered around new eating habits and exercise. (And yes, I do wish He would just do a little miracle and get me back to my normal size without any sacrifice or work.  Just sayin'.) But I think He calls me to a higher ground.

Without any dissertation on the comparison of Mary and Martha...they both loved Jesus dearly and served Him wholeheartedly, I just have to say that I'm praying for God to give me more of both...and of course way more than that, to give me more of Him.  It is my prayer to spend quality time sitting at His feet first.  And then to prepare my heart, my home and my habits in order to serve Him more fully.

So what about you?  What is He impressing on your heart as you head into 2012?  Don't you just love that He is a God who can make all things new??

Abba Father, thank You for Your unfailing love for us.  Thank You for creating us according to Your plan, with strengths and weaknesses so that You could show Your own power and might.  Thank You for the year that You have brought us through.  Please lead us into the one ahead empowering us to be obedient and follow You wholeheartedly.  We pray that everything we do may be done as unto You.  We love You.