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Holy Transformation
In the Living Room. That’s where it all begins. Down at His feet. And we are transformed.
We see this transformation in the continuing stories of Mary and Martha in the Gospels. Martha doesn’t lay aside her personality, give up her hobbies, and burn her cookbooks in order to worship Jesus. She receives Jesus’ rebuke and learns that while there is a time for work, there is also a time for worship. The Martha we see later in the Gospels (such as in John 11) is no longer frantic and resentful, but full of faith and trust.
Mary does some changing too. For although her contemplative nature makes her a natural worshiper, it also leaves her vulnerable to despair, as we also see in John 11. When disaster strikes, Mary’s tendency is to be swamped with sorrow and paralyzed with questions. But in the end, when she realizes Jesus’ time is short, Mary puts into action what she has learned in worship. She steps forward and seizes the opportunity to serve both beautifully and sacrificially.
That’s what I see in the biblical portraits of the two sisters of Bethany. Two completely different women undergo a transformation right before our eyes: a holy makeover. The bold one becomes meek, the mild one courageous. For it is impossible to be in the presence of Jesus and not be changed.
I pray you will allow the Holy Spirit access to all the hidden corners of your life. Whether you tend to be a bit driven, like Martha, or more contemplative, like Mary, God is calling you to intimacy with Him through Jesus Christ. Intimacy that so fills us with His love and His nature that it spills out to our dry, thirsty world in Kitchen Service.
The choice He offered to these two very different sisters—and the transformation they experienced—is exactly what He offers to each of us as well. For He is a Savior who accepts us just the way we are—Mary or Martha or a combination of both—but loves us too much to leave us that way. He is the one who can give us a Mary heart in a Martha world.
What would sitting at Jesus’ feet look like in your life right now? Be specific as to time and place. Keep in mind times in the past when you have had moments of Living Room Intimacy with God. What helped foster those times?
We hope this Plan encouraged you. Learn more about HAVING A MARY HEART IN A MARTHA WORLD by Joanna Weaver.
About this Plan
Often we feel as if we’re not doing enough. Then we feel guilty because we’re supposed to be having quiet times with God too—but when we try to slow down, our hearts and minds are still busy. The story of Mary and Martha offers us guidance as well as grace in this tension. It’s a story of two sisters. It’s a story for each of us.
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