“Now as they went on their way, [Jesus] entered a certain village, where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to what he was saying. But Martha was distracted by her many tasks; so she came to him and asked, ‘Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me.’ But the Lord answered her, ‘Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.’” – Luke 10:38-42

Emily, Emily you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. 

I hear God whispering that to me today. Well let’s be real, I hear Him whispering it to me most days. My mind is constantly on the move, from assignment to assignment and the neverending to-do list of 2023. It seems impossible to get ahead. I often find myself planning out every minute of the day, making sure there’s no chance for anything less than productivity. Yet, I read this story and hear the conviction of the Lord. What is truly important to me? What is the one thing that I so badly need? What is the desire of my heart? Your heart? Is it a desire that is life-giving? 

Today, I invite you to hear God whispering this message to you. 

Sweet child, you are worried and distracted by many things. Just breathe. Take my hand. Let’s go for a stroll.

Sometimes, faith needs to be that easy. Sometimes, we don’t have all the answers. Sometimes, the weight of the world is heavy. Yet in the midst of that, Jesus tells us only one thing is important, a life with Him. For the peace, joy, love and purpose we are all searching for is in Him. 

We can also look at this passage through the Vocare spiritual practice. 

V – Values: What do I value, and how am I living my values? Am I too busy to be present in what I value most? Do I value sitting peacefully with Jesus? Is the chaos of the day aligned with my values?

O – Openness:  To what am I being asked to be open? How do I respond? Am I willing to take a leap of Faith into what Jesus is asking of me? Do I have moments of stillness that I can find discernment in?

C – Call: What voices are calling to me? Which ones do I listen to, and why? Who/what is the desire of my heart? The voices of the world are loud; how do I find Jesus’ voice amidst it all?

A – Attentiveness: Where am I giving my attention? Does my attention align with my values? Am I intentional in my commitments? Do those in my life feel loved, valued and seen?

R – Regret: What are my regrets? What insight do I gain from them? Will I regret any of the current things I am saying yes to? What about the current things I am saying no to? What will I wish I had invested my time into?

E – Experience the Sacred: When, where, and how have I encountered the presence of the holy in my everyday life? Do I allow time to be like Mary and simply sit at the feet of Jesus?

So, I invite you today. Sit at His feet. Let the rest of the world fade away. For Jesus is the one well that never runs dry. 

XOXO,

Emily