worry that distracts us

Now as they went on their way, he entered a certain village, where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home.  She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to what he was saying.  But Martha was distracted by her many tasks; so she came to him and asked, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me."  But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things;  there is need of only one thing.

            Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her." Gospel of Luke, 10:38-42.

You are worried and distracted by many things.  Jesus is right about that.  The worries of life that distract us are real.  They grow in time.  They weigh us down.  They keep us busy, don’t they?  Worries that distract us are those things that command our attention and time, such that we forget God.  Work, family, health, home, money, relationships…Every day we are faced with the things we must do.  But are all those things needful ?  How do you prioritize?  What worries are distracting you from the truth about yourself and your life? 

One thing is needful.  But we multitask.  We are doers.  We are defined by what we do, our work life or our extracurricular activities.   We are not focused on one thing; we are involved in many things at one time.  We keep busy schedules.  We exhaust our minds with all that we are trying to accomplish.    As a Lutheran congregation, we are caught up in our doing.  Campaigns and porches and meals.  We are active servants.  Church is about what we are doing for others.  Like Martha, we offer our labor.  We practice hospitality and there are chores. We cannot ignore the chores of preparation for Peter’s Porch or community meal. 

The more we accomplish, the better we feel about ourselves.  Like a drug, we can become addicted to the payoff for our actions.  The payoff may by actual income or it may be the adrenaline or the euphoria we get from achievement, from success, from the value we subscribe to accomplishments.

Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken away from her.  Sitting at Jesus’ feet.  Mary is not ignoring the necessary chores hospitality demands.  She is making a choice.  Stillness and silence before the master.  What I must do is not as important as what Jesus has done and said. I must reorient the truth about myself and my life in Jesus. For he invites me to sit at his feet and listen.

What did he teach Mary?  How beloved and precious she is to God.  How close God is to her in times of joy and times of sorrow.  How much God will provide for her when she calls out to him in need?  How she can trust God to carry her, to bear her burdens, to lift her up, to rescue her from trouble, to keep her safe?  That God is a healer with power to raise the dead.  That she is invited to patiently wait for the Lord to act on her behalf?   Set aside your worries that distract you from the truth that you need to hear.  Hand over your worries, you pain, your fear to Jesus.  Worrying cannot add a single hour to your life.  But God can.  God knows what worries you.  He sent his son to give you peace.  Peace in knowing that what you have done, failed to do, will do  tomorrow does not define you . You are defined by the God who made you and loves you.  You are sons and daughters of the one God of creation.  You belong to the God of love.  Stop.  Sit. Listen.  Take it in.  Your life is gift.  Receive it.  Give thanks.  Trust God.  That’s enough for today.  Amen.