(The following is the March 18 devotional from my Next Step Devotions book. Before reading it, I suggest you read Luke 10 and pay close attention to verses 38-42.)
Life can be hectic. Demands clamoring for our attention can seem overwhelming: work, family, home, education, church, volunteer activities, children’s activities, managing finances, and caregiving. Add to the above the need to sleep, relax, cook, eat, and clean, plus unwanted interruptions like repairs, sickness, and issues that arise unexpectedly and almost always at inopportune times. That is a lot. Figuring out how to get everything done is an ongoing challenge.
For Christians, spending quiet time with God in Bible study and prayer daily sometimes adds another guilt-inducing item to the already daunting list. How do we handle all of that? The answer involves various solutions, such as learning when to say “no” to others, finding a time management approach that works for us, and prioritizing our tasks to ensure we complete the essential items daily.
When Jesus went to Martha’s home one day, Martha was primarily concerned with being a good hostess. She was “distracted by her many tasks” (v. 40) and complained to Jesus that her sister, Mary, was not helping enough but was sitting at Jesus’ feet listening to him. There was nothing wrong with Martha wanting to be a good hostess or Mary listening to Jesus. Both are good things to do. However, he praised Mary for listening to him rather than being “worried and upset about many things” (v. 41).
Regardless of how busy we are, our most important moments are when we spend time listening to Jesus. We must not allow the many other tasks to crowd out that vital time alone with him in Bible study and prayer, no matter how urgent they appear.
Next Step:
Make a list of what you want to accomplish tomorrow. Try not to be so ambitious that you set yourself up for failure. Prioritize at least the few most essential items. Make sure private time with God is at the top. Pray for God’s wisdom and strength to pursue those items tomorrow in their order of importance.