Hi Friends, Leah here! Sticking to our New Year theme for January, I wanted to share some pictures of a page I did earlier this year that really convicted me…
As the new year rolls in and many of us are making New Year’s resolutions, it’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of new #goals. Maybe you’re going to the gym more. Maybe you promised to cook a full meal for your family every night. Maybe you really want to keep your house clean for longer than two days on end. Perhaps you just want to read more books, take more bubble baths, and get to bed at an earlier time. This is the time of year we start thinking about all the things we want to do better and make habits of. It’s the time of year we start to take action.
**side note – I actually wrote this blog a few weeks ago, and I have to admit that my goal of getting back to the gym consistently has been totally shot thanks to Boise’s #snowpocalypse2017. No action happening here. Working at a school, I’ve had 5 snow days, plus a weekend. The good news is that I’ve had lots of time to be practicing what I am about to preach because there is nothing to distract me… I’ll update you when real life sets in because, Ladies, the struggle is real….
Let me just say these are all noble and beneficial New Year’s resolutions, any resolution you make, is likely to be a good thing. However, while these are good things, they are not necessarily the best or most important thing. Consider the story of Mary and Martha in Luke:
Luke 10:38-42 (NIV)
As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”
“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”
It’s easy to get distracted by life. We are busy people! Work, school, kids, homework, church, bible study, workouts, eating, sleeping, shopping, cleaning…the list goes on. There is always something to occupy our time or to add to the to-do list. Let’s face it, the toilet probably can’t be cleaned too often, there is always a dish or two in the sink, and Netflix most certainly won’t watch itself. These are not bad things in and of themselves, in fact many are important to daily life. If we are to take Jesus at His word though, we have to be willing to prioritize in light of eternity. Time with Him is something that feeds our eternal souls.
To often I find myself forgetting that spending time with Jesus is the most important thing. It’s important not only because it’s what “good” christians are “supposed” to do, but because time with Him transforms the way I handle all of the other things. It can’t be just me who notices that the more time I spend in scripture and prayer, the more energy I have, the more grace and patience I have, and the less I sweat the small things.Spending time with God strengthens me to get my to-do list done and to make those other resolutions happen.
This year I challenge you to join me in making time for God. Prioritize sitting at the feet of the Lord, to hear how he can speak into your situation. It won’t be easy, and if you’re like me you’ll forget plenty (or you’ll remember and prioritize something ahead). But don’t give up when you do forget, just catch yourself and get back to it. If you don’t feel like you have time to commit daily or weekly, remember the story of Mary and Martha. Mary is #goals. Choose what is better like Mary did. We are promised that the benefits we receive from this time will never be taken away from us.
Isaiah 40:8 (NIV)
The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.
Blessings,
Leah
