lael的部落格

     Sometimes the reason Jesus comes to your house is to see how you’re moving beyond your duty. He went to Martha’s house. It was her house, not Mary’s, and Martha had the responsibility for the house. It is important for you to understand you have certain responsibilities, and it’s more difficult for you to go beyond in the midst of those responsibilities.

      I have responsibilities. I have a book due. After leaving a ministry engagement early one Friday, I could have gotten off the plane and run home and started writing, but I could also hear Linda Heidler saying, “Are you sure you’re not forgetting Shabbat this year?” Then I had to make a choice: Would I get distracted with ministry and messages, or would I enjoy Shabbat with my wife? I don’t even know what we did. I actually think I just sat and stared—I was such a zombie after a very heavy ministry schedule. That’s what happened to Martha. She had responsibility over this house, as well as for the most important person in the region. She wasn’t in the old thing but actually was following after the new thing and wanted the new thing to enjoy all the amenities of her home.

      Martha’s thinking was valid. Most of us think like that. I don’t want people coming over to my home with our table messed up. Take note that the Lord pulled aside from what He was doing to deal with her. He might have gotten up and gone into her kitchen (and don’t think Jesus can’t show up in your kitchen!) and basically said, “Martha, you’re missing this thing. You’re trying to get the dishes done and keep everything in order because we’re at your house, and that’s not what I’m about this time. Mary’s getting it, and you’re mad at Mary now because you’re distracted and anxious over Me being here. If you’re anxious over what I’m going to be doing, you can’t get what I’m going to be doing. Martha, you’re going to have to go beyond your responsibility, and not just with the dishes. If you can’t lay down the responsibilities for a while, you will miss the moment, and you won’t be able to go beyond into the whole season.”

     Similarly, He is saying to us, “You’re going to have to go beyond the responsibility you have for your kids, for your house, for your business. You’re going to have to come on in at the right moment and hear Me, because I’m going to give you marching orders over how to be responsible in the next season.” Some of us have great responsibilities, inside and outside of the house, but at certain times He says, “If you don’t get beyond your day-to-day responsibilities, you will miss what I’m saying. You might be the key to what I am saying and whom I’m saying it to!”