![\"Martha102913\"](\"http:\/\/www.doorposts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/Martha102913.jpg\")
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I can identify with Martha.\u00a0<\/strong>How about you?<\/p>\n Take a minute to read this short account of Martha and her sister from Luke 10:38-42.<\/p>\n \u00a0Now as they went on their way, Jesus<\/a>\u00a0entered a village. And a woman named\u00a0<\/a>Martha\u00a0<\/a>welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called\u00a0<\/a>Mary, who\u00a0<\/a>sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” But the Lord answered her,\u00a0“Martha, Martha, you are\u00a0<\/a>anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary.<\/a>\u00a0Mary has chosen\u00a0<\/a>the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”<\/em><\/p>\n Now look back over what you have read. What words stand out to you?<\/p>\n I can tell you what the Holy Spirit highlighted in that passage for me<\/i>:<\/p>\n \u201cBut Martha was distracted with much serving.\u201d<\/i><\/p>\n Ouch.<\/p>\n It\u2019s so easy to be distracted by all the things we need to do! We\u2019re busy! Our days are filled with serving! There\u2019s so much to get done, especially with little ones in the house! Everyone needs us! It’s so easy\u00a0<\/em>to\u00a0become distracted by \u201cmuch serving\u201d.<\/p>\n My dad, as he grew less active, enjoyed watching the busy activity in our household. Almost any time he came to visit he would inevitably say, \u201cAh, a woman\u2019s work is never done.\u201d (He would know. He grew up in a family of eleven children \u2013 seven of them boys.)<\/p>\n He was right. There\u2019s always <\/i>something else to do. We\u2019re never \u201cdone\u201d.<\/p>\n So if we wait until we\u2019re done <\/i>or even until we think we have time <\/i>to read and study God\u2019s Word, we probably won\u2019t ever get around to it.<\/p>\n What did Jesus say to Martha when she started complaining about her sister not helping her?<\/p>\n \u201cMartha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one <\/b>thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.\u201d<\/i><\/p>\n Where was Mary? She was <\/span>sitting at Jesus\u2019s feet<\/i>, listening to his teaching. And Jesus was happy with that \u2013 even if it meant He had to wait a little longer for dinner. \ud83d\ude42<\/span><\/p>\n Only one thing is necessary.<\/i><\/p>\n Our labor, our plans, our lists, and our moment-by-moment giving of ourselves for those God has put in our lives \u2013 they\u2019re all good. <\/i>But in the midst of it all, we need to slow down long enough to listen <\/i>to Jesus. When we do, all the rest of our activity and busy-ness will start to make more sense. We\u2019ll understand why <\/i>we are doing what we\u2019re doing, and we\u2019ll be equipped to do it all with a heart that pleases God.<\/p>\n If you would like help making time to slow down and listen\u00a0<\/em>to God as He speaks to you through His\u00a0Word, I would like to invite you \u00a0to join us \u00a0for our next\u00a0“Thirty Days of Bible Study for Busy Busy Mamas”! Starting this\u00a0Friday, November 1<\/strong>, we will be launching our study of Philippians 2<\/strong>. Lessons are short<\/em> — most take just 5-10 minutes a day, and they’re designed to help you learn how to really\u00a0study\u00a0<\/em>the Bible.<\/p>\n Five minutes a day might sound impossible to find in your day.<\/strong> If it does, here are some ideas<\/a> to help you “make” the time. You don’t even have to have five minutes all at one time! You may need to snatch them one minute at a time!<\/p>\n Five minutes a day might sound inadequate for any serious Bible study, but it’s not!<\/strong> In five minutes, we can look at repeated words, lists, contrasts and comparisons, reasons, word meanings, and lots, lots more! (And we always come back to “What does God want me to do with what I’ve learned?”)<\/p>\n If you do your math, you’ll find that just five minutes a day for thirty days adds up to a whopping 2-1\/2 hours, all spent studying and meditating on one chapter of the Bible. It’s amazing how much the Holy Spirit can teach us in that much time!<\/p>\n Five minutes a day alone <\/em>may sound like a dream that will never happen.<\/strong> You’re right. \ud83d\ude42 It might not happen for quite a few years if your house is full of little ones. You\u00a0don’t need to have a “quiet time”\u00a0to study God’s Word.<\/em> What better way to disciple your children than to invite them to join you <\/i>in your Bible study? And what better sounds than those of children interacting with God’s Word?<\/p>\n As we study Philippians 2, each day\u2019s assignment will also include an activity for your children. You can do your study along with your children, go through your lessons first and then do their study with them, or you can just ignore<\/em> those children’s assignments! But they will be included for those of you who would like to use them.<\/p>\n For those of you who are involved in other Bible studies and don’t plan to join us as we \u00a0study Philippians 2, you may still want to look at those children’s assignments<\/strong> and incorporate them into your school day or family worship time.<\/p>\n So let’s get ready.<\/strong> We start in just a couple more days!<\/p>\n My prayer is that you will be encouraged as you see that it is <\/i>possible to be a mother and still get the nourishment you so desperately need from God\u2019s Word. And my prayer is that we will all be changed <\/i>by our time together in His Word.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n\n
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