The ONE Thing
“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered,
“you are worried and upset about many things,
but few things are needed—or indeed only one.
Mary has chosen what is better,
and it will not be taken away from her.”
Luke 10:41,42 (NIV)
How would you rate the effectiveness of your quiet times with the Lord? Do you come away refreshed and equipped to walk out your faith and pass along Jesus’ love to others? I once heard a minister say that unfruitful quiet times are a sign of spiritual immaturity. Wow…that is quite a statement, isn’t it? Maybe those feelings of struggle and discomfort we sometimes feel are really God’s invitation to a deeper and more satisfying relationship with Him.
We may have the best of intentions as we daily read our Bible and pray. We know it is the right thing to do. Yet, as time goes by we can find ourselves going through the motions: we read a passage of scripture, forget what we’ve just read, failing to apply its meaning to our life. Next, we’ll pray about a few issues that are important to us and then we’re done with our spiritual duties for the day. Does this routine sound like what you would follow to grow into a mature Christian?
Do you sometimes question the need for devotional prayer – that daily ongoing conversation with God that is outside of our supplications and intercession? When we allow prayer to become complicated and burdensome, disillusion can set in. We feel like we’ve done everything to grow stronger in the Lord, but still are not strong. We ask ourselves “Why am I spending time doing this?” We can’t grow from our devotional time if we’re not really connecting with God.
But, let me tell you, through devotional time, we can grow in love and begin to develop a heart like God’s. It’s our daily, personal intimacy with Him that determines how well we live.
If you remember, Martha complained to Jesus that her sister Mary wasn’t helping her serve. But Jesus told Martha that Mary chose the better thing: to sit at the Master’s feet and fellowship with Him. That is a picture of our quiet time and devotional prayer.
What a great story! It reminds us that life in God is wonderfully simple. Only one thing is absolutely necessary: fellowshipping with the Master. Everything else we need to do will come from our time with Him. Choose to focus your devotional time cultivating your love for Jesus. Spend time just getting to know Him through prayer and the Word. Worship and minister to Him. I’m telling you, the more you do that, the more you will fall in love with Him and the more you fall in love with Him, the better you will pray.
It’s time for serious Christians to stand up and say, “You know what? I’m tired of going through the motions and pretending to be mature just because I’m following a routine. I’m only mature if I take what I read and apply it to my life and begin to take action.”
Going through the motions in your devotional time may require less effort, but if you wish to avoid struggle, doubt, condemnation and guilt, you need to pursue God. Doing so may require more focus and effort, but the reward is so great!
Let me ask: Do you want the strength to keep praying in faith for seemingly impossible situations day after day? Do you want the spiritual energy to keep praying in faith for your family or your nation or your lost neighbor even when all natural hope is gone? Of course, you do. Becoming serious about your daily time in the Lord’s presence will strengthen and mature you to do these things! What are you waiting for?
Will you choose the ONE thing? Now, that’s the choice-driven life!
Today’s Bible Reading:
Jonah; Matt 11
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Another great post, Olga! I think this is why the bible reminds us not to pray like the religious leaders did of biblical days, repeating ourselves. We can so easily become disconnected. It’s important to genuinely become connected to THE power source for our lives and have a REAL relationship with Him! Thanks for sharing your thoughts and holding us accountable 🙂
Thanks Jessica, it is soo important to keep the right thing first!
While I agree that a continual lack of intimacy with God in quiet times with Him is a good indication of a lack of spiritual maturity, I think that there needs to be an ‘allowance’ for seasons of spiritual dryness. As I read the prophets and Psalms of David, I see good and Godly and faithful men asking God, “Where are you in the midst of it all?”
Sometimes that sort of desert is because of personal sin, sometimes it is the season that God has for us to withstand.
I wouldn’t say that is an “allowance” Matthew; those times of dryness happen either from our side or from God’s side. God wants to know where our heart is towards Him even if we don’t hear from Him and He wants us to know that as well. So, when we are in some form of sin which disturbs our relationship with God, we need to come to the realization hat we are doing. I hope this helps 🙂