Greetings sisters!
How was your day in the Lord?
I was pondering this subject and what we can learn from the account of Mary and Martha as recorded for us. As women who were originally created to be helpers to the men and as keepers at home we are often involved in servant type work. And that is a good thing and something that we should be about for sure. But it can also become out of place if we are not focused on that which matters most.
"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."
Luke 10:40
See what cumbered means...
We know what is most important...
"And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.
And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these."
Mark 12:30-31
And in this case we know Mary sat at Jesus' feet hearing His words. And Martha asked that she also come and help serve. So it became a distraction to her away from hearing that which is important.
And we do know that women are to serve others for sure...
"Well reported of for good works; if she have brought up children, if she have lodged strangers, if she have washed the saints' feet, if she have relieved the afflicted, if she have diligently followed every good work."
1 Timothy 5:10
But how can we keep it in the right place and not allow it to become a distraction?
First and most important is we make sure we know and obey the gospel. Please see that explained here as it is our foundation and all else is futile really.
"For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?"
Mark 8:36
As we know it says also to be content with food and raiment. As godly women we often are about cooking food for those in our lives. So even in food and meal preparations we can get so caught up in it that we miss what is most important. If that is the case then we could simplify the foods we prepare in order to spend more time in the Word or in doing whatever ministry we have to do.
We might know of a sister in the Lord or two who needed encouragement and edification and instead we chose to do the things in our 'own' life that really could wait. How sad if we were so wrapped up and distracted in our own life and a sister who we knew of was neglected especially if we knew she was going through trials and needed encouragement. As we know we are to have fervant love for the brethren.
We could also be so caught up in our own things that we lose an opportunity to give an answer of the hope we have or share the gospel with a lost soul. That could apply in any situation whether we are with unbelievers in the world while shopping for example or with those in your life who are not obedient born again followers of Christ.
Yes there is a time and place for things as long as they are good and pure but even good things can become out of place in a believers life. Having a daily eternal perspective and focusing on things above will help us as we strive to be pleasing to our Lord and Saviour and preparing for the next life. All these things so many live for on this earth and obsess over are going to be burned up and what will remain is that which is eternal.
Because the saints are so few and scattered over this wide earth the opportunity to share in our daily lives in person are usually small. If you are blessed to have other saints around you then you have the opportunity to serve them but of course the focus will be on the Lord and each other as those who love the Lord and strive to obey Him in all things and not on the actual serving we might need to do. It all comes down to loving the Lord and others really.
And it does come down to time management as well. We are told to redeem the time and not waste what we have been given. There is much to be done for the Lord and in what He has commanded us as women. We will need to learn to order our time and prioritise in order to accommodate the things that are most important. And yes I am still growing in this and learning how to make the best use of every minute that the Lord has blessed me with. And I spend some of that time here writing to you sisters and I hope it can bless you.
I may not be explaining this well nor is this any kind of complete study on the subject but just sharing a few things that come to mind.
Of course we are to be serving joyfully and be keepers of the home diligently doing our work as unto the Lord but all I write about is to have the right focus and not allow it itself to be all we are about if that makes sense.
It could go along with this...as we don't want this to be us...
"And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection."
Luke 8:14
We have to be aware that we could get swept away if we do not be careful and desire to be in all truth and not grow lazy in the important things.
"And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares."
Luke 21:34
This is what we should be doing...
"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."
Matthew 6:33
And not becoming so attached to anything on this earth...
"No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier."
2 Timothy 2:4
We can see some examples of what women did.
"And on the sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted thither.
And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us : whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul.
And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought us, saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained us."
Acts 16:13-15
We read that Dorcas was a disciple so she didn't only do good works and sew things for the poor. Reminds me of Mary sitting at the feet of Jesus in that account. And of course we are to be doers of the Word and not hearers only as James 1 says.
And I love this one about how simple it is how the believers were gathering in a woman's house.
"And when he had considered the thing, he came to the house of Mary the mother of John, whose surname was Mark; where many were gathered together praying.
And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a damsel came to hearken, named Rhoda.
And when she knew Peter's voice, she opened not the gate for gladness, but ran in, and told how Peter stood before the gate."
Acts 12:12-14
So that is it from me for today. I hope it could bless and edify you as it does me and it helps me to ponder all I do and remember what matters most.
Until tomorrow, Lord willing,
Love and blessings in Christ,
...from a daughter of God
2 Timothy 2:19
You can find the biblical gospel here.