Don’t Be a Martha This Holiday Season… (Day 11)
Shopping sales, cleaning the house, visiting family, cooking dinners, attending dinners and Christmas programs, and not to mention work/school to top it off. The list goes on and on. We all get caught up
in the day-to-day movement of the holiday season. But I want to remind you that this should be a time to do just what we call it. Be on Holiday.
You see, according to the oxford language, Holiday is defined as a day of festivities or recreation when no work is done. But in today’s society, we take the Holidays and fill them with many things and forget that it is ok to sit and just be. I want to look at a passage in Luke that explains that it is ok
not to go with the flow and just be. Luke 10:38-42 (TPT)
38-39As Jesus and the disciples continued on their journey, they came to a village where a woman welcomed Jesus into her home. Her name was Martha and she had a sister named Mary. Mary sat down attentively before the Master, absorbing every revelation he shared. 40But Martha became exasperated with finishing the numerous household chores in preparation for her guests, so she interrupted Jesus and said, “Lord, don’t you think it’s unfair that my sister left me to do all the work by myself? You should tell her to get up and help me.” 41The Lord answered her, “Martha, my beloved Martha. Why are you upset and troubled, pulled away by all these many distractions? 42Mary has discovered the one thing most important by choosing to sit at my feet. She is undistracted, and I
won’t take this privilege from her.”
In this passage, we see that Martha and Mary are not on vacation, but it is a time when it is necessary to stop all the running around. In our life, we need to Sometimes stop and listen and just be with each other and with the Father. I can guarantee that we would benefit far more than if we were
running around trying to keep up with the hustle of life.
I want to challenge you this Holiday season to ask God what it is that He thinks is necessary in his eyes and what you should do this season. It can be simple. For example, this year my wife and I decided that we were not going to travel as much due to the stress that it puts on us. We are not
saying that we don’t love our family, but we are saying yes to being a little more like Mary – to stop, slow down, listen, and just be!
Questions or reflections:
1) Ask God what, in this season or in your life, you need to lay down.
2) Take time to truly be with friends and family. Just sit in a room with them and enjoy the quiet.
Be Intentional!
3) Ask yourself what brings you true Joy in this Holiday season.
4) How can you be a Mary?