Martha! Martha! Martha!

(Wow, I have not posted since October 1!  Unbelievable. Today, though, something was stirring in my heart and I had to write.  Once again, it relates in NO WAY to my time on the boys turf. Yet, in another way, it affects my boys in EVERY WAY.)  

     I shouldn’t be annoyed by a Bible story. That sounds sacrilegious and sinful. But, the story in Luke 10 about Mary and Martha gets me every time.  I’ll announce it to the world. “I AM MARTHA!”  I clearly see myself perfecting the house for my guest, Jesus, and being greatly frustrated with my sister for sitting around with the guest and not helping me. That’s not fair!  Surely Jesus would see my busyness as a sign of my love for Him.  I know what all the books say about choosing to BE instead of BEING BUSY for Him. I know.  I get it.  I’ve gotten it.  Done.

     What about the busyness deep inside my heart, my soul, my mind. Contrary to the external, the internal striving no one can see but me. My clamoring about my spiritual kitchen banging pots and pans. Slamming the cupboards in my mind.  Gritting my teeth, I SOS every sin that surfaces.  If I can just srub harder. Deeper. Longer.  Why can’t I get myself perfect?  Earnestly I attempt to clean myself, but the cycle never ends.   My spaghetti and meatball stained insides won’t. come. clean.  I scrub. I scour.  I plan. I prep. To-do lists for Jesus suffocate and confuse. 

1.  Tell someone about Jesus
2.  Memorize this verse and that one
3.  Take care of the temple
4.  Speak right
5. Live right
6. Do this
7. Don’t do that
8. Don’t think that
9. Don’t you dare say that
10. Give that

     I am distracted by the very rules I’ve created to somehow get me “more ready” for Jesus.  Rules never bring freedom.  Rules always come with chains.  But in a sick way, rules bring artificial freedom.  They comfort us by allowing us to feel like the victory is in our control.  It is for FREEDOM that Christ set me free according to Galatians 5:1.  Rules focus on ME everytime.  Freedom focuses on Christ and what HE has done.  Ever tried to abstain from something and realize that is all you suddenly think about?   When my own dirtiness deters me and causes me to see myself as wretched, I tend to look at others in the same way. I see the sins in others like the etched line in my thirteen year old dishes. Scratched. Imperfect.  We are all alike. Chipped beyond self-repair. Self-help. Self-control.  Self. Self. Self.   My striving in my own life for who I want most to reflect, causes me to get agitated with myself and those around me.  The washing-machine- self I’ve created can’t handle this heavy load. I can’t do it. 

     Jesus died once.  All of my sins were in the future. I see no date on my scribbled calendar that says, “Jesus death, part II, III, IV, V....”  Any straining on my part does nothing.  I can’t prepare for Jesus. The preparation has already been done.  My own to-do list to clean myself is shredded.

Like
 Mary, I can sit. Rest.  I can reduce my list to just one thing.
1. Accept His grace -- not bolded or exclaimed.  A gentle invitation

  When I see myself in Him, I begin to see others in Him.....in need of grace just like me.  I begin to feel free. For freedom is the ability to say YES to what is best, not NO.  Grace takes the chains and rules OFF.  Grace allows me to just soak in His grace. Grace does not equal spiritual 
laziness as I have so often thought.  Instead grace gives up control and allows someone else to do the work for me.  I’ve often let the dirtiest of pots soak for a while. Amazingly, as it sits, the gunk loosens.  The same happens when I just submerge myself in Christ.  Transformation from dirty to clean.  Dark to light.  Imperfection to trusting in the PERFECT ONE.

     Now that’s not fair!  He did it all! For me?  He’s okay with that?  He doesn’t want my help?  He didn’t require me to do the work.  Wow! Amazing grace.  He just wants me. That’s all. That. Is. All.  

Mary