I'm struggling to order my thoughts, at the moment, to write this blog which is kind of ironic because the whole reason for today's blog is to share with you what the Lord has been teaching me about the "One Thing" in all of life. I find I have so many distractions competing for my emotional and mental focus and yet that still, small voice can be heard from deep within me saying, "Just One Thing, Cindy" and therein lies the tension.
I love how God always teaches me from right where I am. Present tense. And from that place, I offer it to you as well in case you need encouragement in this area today, too. Come journey with me and let's walk it together.
Do you struggle with an unfocused mind when it comes to your list of daily tasks? I do. Do you find it so very distracting when there is so much to do? I do. I always have. I mean, what to do first? What to do last? How to get it all done?
And it started early for me and has continued to this day ...
I've been the child in school who couldn't focus on the lesson because my imagination was lost in my after school plans of playing outside or playing anywhere for that matter. Distractions!
I've been the young Mom who struggled to willingly and completely let go of my "to do" list and ignore the clutter around me even though my little ones were asking for my undivided time and attention. I'm sad to say that there were many times I asked them to wait just one more minute! Distractions!
I've been the housewife who fought the battle of multi-tasking my chores only to later find my laundry basket of unfolded towels in the living room, of all places, where I had set it down earlier to dust the tables and straighten the cushions. It's no wonder we couldn't keep the towel closet stocked! Distractions!
I've been the child of God who struggled to stay focused in my quiet time and prayer time. Longing to spend precious time with my Heavenly Father only to find my mind wandering to the ever present list of things that needed to be accomplished that day. Anybody? Distractions!
Distractions ~ they always have been, and always will be, everywhere.
In this current season of my life, this notion of distraction has occurred to me and stirred my heart in a fresh new way. The other day I was reading about it in Luke 10:39-42. You probably know the story. Jesus and his disciples have come to Bethany and are at the house of his friends, Martha and Mary. Martha becomes busy preparing the meal for her visitors while Mary sits right down at Jesus' feet listening to what he was saying.
In her distraction (and the frustration) of all the preparations, Martha realizes Mary is not helping and so she tattles and whines just a bit to Jesus about it. What does Jesus say?
Well, first, you've got to know that Jesus loved both Martha and Mary and from that love flowed a gentle rebuke ...
"Martha, Martha. You are worried and upset (distracted) 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."
And there we can almost see it, in our minds eye, unfolding just as it did in that exact moment ...
Mary's sincere posture ... just sitting at His feet
Can you see her?
And we can almost hear it too, the voice of the Savior echoing through the corridors of time ...
Jesus' spoken promise ... to be the One Thing she could not lose
Can you hear Him?
That One Thing ... A Posture I can strive for ~ A Promise that I long for.
It will take much discipline to train my heart and my mind to turn from distraction. To hunger and thirst for fellowship with Christ above all else. To sit at His feet ... still enough, quiet enough, and long enough to know that He is my God.
That One Thing ...
Resounding in scripture, from Genesis to Revelation, the God of heaven and earth pursuing you and me. Like Mary, we must find our place, surrendered at his feet and in return He promises that He will be the One Thing ...
That One Thing ... which will not, can not, be taken away from us.
"One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple". (Psalm 27:4)
That One Thing ... His name is Jesus!
Now go, let's run to Him and find our place at His feet!
Cindy K
I love how God always teaches me from right where I am. Present tense. And from that place, I offer it to you as well in case you need encouragement in this area today, too. Come journey with me and let's walk it together.
Do you struggle with an unfocused mind when it comes to your list of daily tasks? I do. Do you find it so very distracting when there is so much to do? I do. I always have. I mean, what to do first? What to do last? How to get it all done?
And it started early for me and has continued to this day ...
I've been the child in school who couldn't focus on the lesson because my imagination was lost in my after school plans of playing outside or playing anywhere for that matter. Distractions!
I've been the young Mom who struggled to willingly and completely let go of my "to do" list and ignore the clutter around me even though my little ones were asking for my undivided time and attention. I'm sad to say that there were many times I asked them to wait just one more minute! Distractions!
I've been the housewife who fought the battle of multi-tasking my chores only to later find my laundry basket of unfolded towels in the living room, of all places, where I had set it down earlier to dust the tables and straighten the cushions. It's no wonder we couldn't keep the towel closet stocked! Distractions!
I've been the child of God who struggled to stay focused in my quiet time and prayer time. Longing to spend precious time with my Heavenly Father only to find my mind wandering to the ever present list of things that needed to be accomplished that day. Anybody? Distractions!
Distractions ~ they always have been, and always will be, everywhere.
In this current season of my life, this notion of distraction has occurred to me and stirred my heart in a fresh new way. The other day I was reading about it in Luke 10:39-42. You probably know the story. Jesus and his disciples have come to Bethany and are at the house of his friends, Martha and Mary. Martha becomes busy preparing the meal for her visitors while Mary sits right down at Jesus' feet listening to what he was saying.
In her distraction (and the frustration) of all the preparations, Martha realizes Mary is not helping and so she tattles and whines just a bit to Jesus about it. What does Jesus say?
Well, first, you've got to know that Jesus loved both Martha and Mary and from that love flowed a gentle rebuke ...
"Martha, Martha. You are worried and upset (distracted) 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."
And there we can almost see it, in our minds eye, unfolding just as it did in that exact moment ...
Mary's sincere posture ... just sitting at His feet
Can you see her?
And we can almost hear it too, the voice of the Savior echoing through the corridors of time ...
Jesus' spoken promise ... to be the One Thing she could not lose
Can you hear Him?
That One Thing ... A Posture I can strive for ~ A Promise that I long for.
It will take much discipline to train my heart and my mind to turn from distraction. To hunger and thirst for fellowship with Christ above all else. To sit at His feet ... still enough, quiet enough, and long enough to know that He is my God.
That One Thing ...
Resounding in scripture, from Genesis to Revelation, the God of heaven and earth pursuing you and me. Like Mary, we must find our place, surrendered at his feet and in return He promises that He will be the One Thing ...
That One Thing ... which will not, can not, be taken away from us.
"One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple". (Psalm 27:4)
That One Thing ... His name is Jesus!
Now go, let's run to Him and find our place at His feet!
Cindy K
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