November 6 - Needful.

Luke 10:38-42
“Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word. But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”
 
Jesus Christ sure loved these two sisters and their brother Lazarus. He had a special relationship with them. Both women give us a different picture of a type of relationship we can have with Jesus. These sisters were very different, but they had one thing in common, they both loved Jesus and wanted to serve Him.
 
Martha was a busy woman, “cumbered about much serving”. She asked Jesus questions demanding answers, and even gave orders to her Friend – “bid her therefore that she help me”.
 
Mary was quiet and patient. Many times in Scripture we find her sitting at Jesus’ feet. She anointed His feet with ointment and wiped them with her hair. Every time she sat near Him she listened to hear His Word instead of boldly questioning Him. Both of the sisters came to Him, but with different attitudes and demeanors.
 
Notice Jesus’ response to each of them:
Martha – “Martha, Martha, thou are careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful…”
 
Mary – “But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”
 
One thing was needful for both of the sisters and for us today. Only one of them chose the needful thing, sitting at Jesus’ feet and hearing His Word. We can only hear Jesus speak when we sit at His feet.
 

Bible Reading:
Jeremiah 47-48  |  Galatians 5  |  Psalm 99