Distractions of Life's Demands

Demands of Life

But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. (Luke 10:40a)

The demands of life can, and often do, distract us from from the life giving connection we are called to have with Christ. The busy seasons of life such as weddings, new additions, or even the yearly occurrence of all the Christmas activities can be especially hard.

How often have you sat down and dutifully done your quiet time working your way through your entire routine of prayer, devotional, and Bible study only to rise and immediately be distracted by the demands of the day? You are not alone! It happens to all of us! Even more comforting is the fact that this is not a new struggle. In Luke 10:38-40 we read of a woman who faced this exact battle. Martha is a follower of Christ. She has a relationship with him. She has welcomed him and his followers into her home, sacrificially giving of her time and resources to serve him. This is what we are all supposed to do right?

Something is off, though! Martha has become distracted by life's demands. She is still doing all the service and sacrifice, so what is it Martha is distracted from? To answer that question let's first look back a few hundred years.

King Saul, in 1 Samuel 15:22, has just conquered an enemy. He was to devote everything to destruction. But ... Saul has decided on a better idea. He has set aside the best to sacrifice to the Lord. At this point Samuel confronts Saul and says to him, "Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams." We please God more with our obedience than we do with sacrifice alone.

Moving forward two generations to 1 Kings 6:11-13, God confronts Solomon. The now king of Israel, known for his wisdom, is in the midst of building a grand temple for the name of the Lord. Unfortunately, our wise king has not been using his wisdom on the most foundational level. At this point, only a few years into his reign, it appears that Solomon has ignored or directly gone against all the instructions God gave for the future king of Israel in Deuteronomy 17:14-20. God isn't impressed with the grand gestures of Solomon's service in light of his disobedience.

Coming back to Martha, now that Christ is on the scene he has introduced a new layer of the foundation. The connection to God is no longer founded on obedience to his law. Christ came and fulfilled the law. The foundation of a connection with God and our obedience to him is a relationship with Christ. As mentioned above, Martha has a relationship with Jesus. So, let's jump back to the question at hand. What is off kilter for Martha?

When Jesus answers Martha, he doesn't address her concerns. Jesus addresses the condition of her heart, and counters it with that of her sister's. Mary has intentionally chosen to take steps which prioritize her relationship with Christ. She has put herself in a position at a rabbi's feet while he teaches; a position which is not the norm for women of the day. Martha, on the other hand, is distracted from her relationship with Christ by the demands of the day which has led to an "anxious and troubled" spirit.

Staying connected to Christ takes intentionality, but God hasn't left us with the only recourse being "just try harder." In Romans 1:19 and 20 we are told that God is revealing himself to all people through his creation. There is not a single person left without a bridge to cross that will connect them to their maker. These are the things of everyday. God is not in the business of hiding from us, regardless of if we are believers or not. He is always placing revelations of himself in our path. Each of these revelations is a bridge for us to cross and connect with God. Are we in the habit of watching for moments in the everyday where God reveals himself? Are we mindful enough to take a moment and cross the bridge of connection when we do see these revelations? If you are in a busy season, these moments can help reorient your thinking, keep you connected to the Giver of life, and ward off the anxious and troubling thoughts.