Isaiah 40:28-31 (NLT)
28 Have you never heard? Have you never understood? The Lord is the everlasting God,
the Creator of all the earth. He never grows weak or weary. No one can measure the depths of his understanding. 29 He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless. 30 Even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall in exhaustion. 31 But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.
Let’s be honest, most working moms are exhausted. You love your kids, love your man, love your job, love your life, your friends, your family blah, blah, blah… But, oh if only you could take a nap. And even if you do by some miracle get to nap, you can’t turn your mind off. It’s multi-tasking at the speed of light, mowing down rest and peace like a freight train. Got to get it all figured out and make sure everyone is where they are supposed to be, doing what they are supposed to be doing. But Jesus said, “Come unto me all that are heavy-laden and I will give you rest.” (Matt 11:28).
It’s a promise from straight from the heart of Jesus. He looked into the eyes of another overworked overwrought and frustrated woman, and said “You’re missing something, Martha.”
Luke 10: 38-40 Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. 39 And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word.
Martha received Jesus into her house as a kind and gracious host. She received Him as a dignitary, as someone to be honored. This all sounds really really good, and it’s very impressive…until it is compared to true intimacy. While Martha let Jesus within the vicinity of her heart, Mary let him in. There she sat, right at his feet, clinging to every word, taking the time to get to know Jesus, not just about Jesus.
Mary was listening to his words. His words bring spirit and life (John 6:63), the very thing that Martha so desperately needed.
40 But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.
I purposely chose the King James Version for this passage, because the word cumbered paints such a vivid picture. I immediately picture someone heavy laden, hauling around a lot of junk, carrying baggage, hauling trash. The word cumbered literally means to drag all around. It further means to be distracted, to be driven about mentally, too over-occupied, too busy.
41 And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:
On the surface, it seems Martha is upset because Mary isn’t helping her. But don’t you love how Jesus always cuts to the chase and answers the real question, even when it isn’t being asked? “Martha, you are careful and troubled about many things, not just today, not just this meal…girl, you have a lot of things going on in that head of yours.”
Martha was trying to get it all figured out…all by herself, when the life-giver, the ultimate problem-solver was right there in her midst.
42 But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.
One thing is needful. Our harried, busy and distracted lives is usually an indication that we have set aside the one thing we all so greatly need and that is time at His feet, gazing into His eyes. His very presence will replenish and restore you. If you consistently maintain this intimacy, little by little crooked paths will be made straight, questions will be answered, dilemmas will be solved.
You will usually find that His presence will lead you to simplify your life and to focus in on the things that really matter, taking out the trash once and for all. Usually you are just plain doing too much and need to let it go. Let go of “it has to be done a certain way” before it becomes your undoing. Many times just enough is good enough, so you can have more time for what really matters…time with Him.
Wise Mom Works 