Rachel Whisman

I admit. I get lost in saying yes more than I would like to admit with other people and activities. I also get lost in trying to “redeem” the time that we have and infiltrate my mind as much as possible with podcasts, music, sermons, etc. I don’t think these are inherently bad at all. What a time to be alive and have all these resources at our fingertips to make better choices with the time we do have on our drives to work or even at the gym. However, are we so busy with redeeming this time that we have replaced it with undistracted and focused time with just being with the Lord? I was struck by this while ironically listening to Luke10:39-42 while doing something. 

“And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to His teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to Him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her to help me.” But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.” -Luke 10:39-42

Mary sat. She stopped. She yielded to what was going around her to be at the Lord’s feet and listened to Him like an eager young daughter. She knew who was before her. What about Martha? She kept going and doing. It wasn’t bad. She was serving, but was it the best choice at the time? Have you ever thought that maybe she was trying to listen while serving at the same time? Maybe she was just trying to be efficient. Maybe she had the intention that she was getting stuff done while listening to Jesus, what’s the harm in that? Maybe she was just trying to “redeem” her time. Yet, Jesus lovingly rebukes her and gets to the heart issue. He also identifies her and calls her by name. He sees her, knows her heart, and points out the truth. We are left in suspense though because we don’t know what Martha said in return, but we feel the sting. She was distracted by what she was doing. Too hurried to prioritize who was in the room. She couldn’t treasure what she didn’t know. We can’t treasure what we don’t know. 

I can hear Jesus speaking directly at me, “Rachel, Rachel, you are anxious and troubled about many things. Just stop and choose me. I am the good portion and will never leave you.” Does that resonate with you as well? 

I heard this wisdom applied to me practically when I was “anxious about many things” and an older lady gave me the advice to go home and make a t-chart. On one side, she told me to list everything that I was doing, serving, or involved in. On the other side, I was to list out how I was just being with God. Not the eastern viewpoint of, “emptying your mind”, but the intentional time set apart to get away with God. Where there was no agenda, but just time to be with Him in prayer, reading His word, journaling, or singing. 

When I got home that night I did just that and the imbalance I saw was indeed great. I could list off to you very quickly everything that I was doing, where I was serving, and How I was using my time, but when I got to the other side to write down how I was just “being” with the Lord, that was slim.

Of course we are called to “make the best use of the time because the days are evil” (Ephesians 5:16). I fear though that we equate our doing with being and have devalued or trumped the importance of getting alone with the Lord in the name of efficiency. Have we lost the discipline and ability to have quality time with our Father? There is a “time for every matter under heaven” (Ecclesiastes 3:1) and that includes a time to cease and be intentional with “sitting at the Lord’s feet and listening to His teaching.” (Luke 10:39). Jonny Ardavanis illustrates these implications when he wrote, “A ten-minute “quiet time” cannot equip us for the sixteen-hour battle we face each day. That would be akin to taking a thirty-second shower and then proceeding to roll around in the mud for hours.” Mary stopped. Jesus also stopped (Matthew 14:13). We are told to stop as well from Jesus. There will always be something we can do and may we do it for the glory of God, but may we also retreat to the Lord for the glory of God as well.

“The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot.”

-Psalm 16:6

Some questions and ideas to prompt your thinking:

-When was the last time you just sat and read His word with no agenda but to read? 

-How are you carving out time to get away with the Lord daily? No phone. Just you, Him, and His word, undistracted.  

-Write out/Journal scripture

-Go for a walk alone and pray

-Pray through your notes from the Church service (heard this idea recently and really liked it!)

-Live and linger in the Epistles. A lot of them are short. Just read a book at a time.