What Do You Mean, Lord?

She must have been so frustrated. Martha was working, always working. Cooking, cleaning, doing everything possible to make their guest comfortable. And not just any guest: they were hosting Jesus, the renowned teacher. Yet while she ran around, making preparations for the rabbi and His disciples, her sister Mary merely sat at Jesus’ feet and listened to His words. Martha kept glancing at the teacher, waiting for Him to tell her sister to help her. Finally, she couldn’t take it anymore. She cried out: “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to serve alone? So tell her to give me a hand” (Luke 10:40). “Martha, Martha,” He replied. “You are worried and upset about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has made the right choice, and it will not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:41-42). What? Martha was probably shocked and hurt. Why would He rebuke me for working hard and encourage my sister for being lazy? That’s not fair. Martha didn’t understand that no matter what she did, no matter how hard she worked, she could never earn God’s favor. While works are important as a testament of faith (James 2:26), faith in Christ is our path to salvation (John 14:6). Slowing down for a moment to listen to the words of Jesus Himself, as Mary did, is infinitely more important than busying ourselves trying to earn God’s forgiveness and favor by what we do. That is the entire reason Jesus gave His life for us: so we could be saved through faith in Him because we could never do it on our own. • Aleia Lenz • Have you ever caught yourself thinking you could earn God’s forgiveness? • Read Isaiah 59:2, Romans 3:23; 5:6-8, and 2 Corinthians 5:21. Why is salvation from sin and death impossible without Jesus? • To learn more about salvation through Jesus, check out our “Know Jesus” page. For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift—not from works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2:8-9 (CSB)

Read Verses:

Luke 10:38-42