Today’s late post is brought to you courtesy of “Being Present”, along with a naughty, temperamental computer.
When I hear the words “Being Present”, I’m faced with one critical thought: my need to be more intentional about it. My favorite character by far in scripture (aside from Jesus) that displays the gift of being present is Mary, Martha’s sister. We find her story in Luke 10: 38-42. As a Type A personality, I’ve often struggled to identify with Mary as this scene unfolds. Can’t she see there’s work to be done? I love that Jesus cares enough about Martha to reveal the importance of the moment. He didn’t say what Martha was doing was wrong. He just said that Mary’s choice was right for that hour. She recognized who Jesus was and stopped everything to acknowledge His presence. And you know what? Jesus is still calling for us to choose to find those moments and spend time with Him!
We’ve all read tons of writings about Martha and Mary, comparisons, assessments and so on. The older I get, the more I realize how divisive those thoughts have been for women in the church. Hear me out. Why do we have to be one or the other? Proverbs 31 speaks of a woman who is virtuous AND capable. What if we recognized that we’ve been created with a purpose that without spending time in Jesus’ presence, we miss out on the power Christ pours into us to procure it?
As a woman in ministry, I can’t help but root for Mary- talk about a trailblazer!! She SHOULD have been in the kitchen preparing the meal for her guests; she SHOULDN’T have been in the living room lounging with Jesus and his disciples. She SHOULD have helped her sister; she SHOULDN’T have let Martha do all the work. She SHOULD have been spreading the food on the table; she SHOULDN’T have been a recipient of the Living Bread. Dear sisters, how often have we missed getting into Christ’s presence because of what culture/tradition/trends we’ve allowed to dictate our lives?
Being present, as I’ve talked about today, is about regulating my heart in the midst of life’s demands. It’s about reframing mine and other’s expectations of me to do what I’m called to. It’s about realizing I can’t do a thing without spending time with my Father and knowing His heart. And it’s about reverence, above all.
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