A blog from Sunday’s Sermon on Luke 10:38-42
Life doesn’t slow down.
Monday meetings turn into to-do lists. Deadlines stack up. Ministry continues. Family responsibilities press in. School schedules return. Practices, projects, groceries, parties, emails, phone calls…it all keeps coming. And the truth is, we don’t ever seem to “get less busy.”
As the year comes to a close, many of us can honestly say we’re no less busy now than we were at the beginning. But the more sobering question is this: are we any closer to Jesus?
Busyness isn’t just exhausting, it can be spiritually dangerous. Because while we’re doing many good and noble things, we can slowly drift from the one thing that matters most.
Busyness and the Subtle Shift of Faith
In Luke 10, Jesus enters the home of dear friends, Mary and Martha. Martha is doing what many of us do naturally: serving, preparing, working hard to meet the needs around her. None of these things are wrong. In fact, they are good.
But Mary chooses something different.
Scripture tells us that Mary sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what He said. She wasn’t distracted. She wasn’t multitasking. She wasn’t nearby; she was fully present. Sitting at His feet, she chose closeness. She chose listening. She chose Jesus.
Luke’s wording makes this even more powerful. Mary wasn’t listening once and moving on, she was continually listening. This was her posture, her pattern, her faith. Throughout the Gospel of Luke, this kind of listening is described as the mark of a true disciple: hearing God’s Word, holding fast to it, and allowing it to bear fruit.
Martha, on the other hand, became distracted by her many tasks. Over time, her service led to frustration. Her frustration turned into anxiety. And eventually, her anxiety turned into accusation…not toward her sister, but toward Jesus Himself.
“Lord, don’t You care?”
That question reveals something important. Busyness doesn’t cancel our faith, but it can quietly replace it.
Jesus’ Gentle Invitation
Jesus doesn’t shame Martha. He doesn’t dismiss her responsibilities. Instead, He responds with compassion:
“Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things.”
Jesus acknowledges the weight she’s carrying. He recognizes her effort. But then He offers a loving correction:
“There is only one thing necessary.”
Mary had chosen what was better, not because serving didn’t matter, but because listening came first.
Reordering Our Priorities
Busyness requires new priorities.
Martin Luther once said, “I have so much to do today that I shall spend the first three hours in prayer.” That’s not a statement of guilt, it’s a statement of priority. He understood that without first listening to God, he would spend his energy on things God never asked him to do.
When Jesus is squeezed in last, life feels chaotic, heavy, and overwhelming. But when Jesus comes first, something supernatural happens. The responsibilities don’t disappear, but they begin to fit. What once brought stress begins to bring joy. What once overwhelmed us becomes a place where God works through us.
The One Thing That Is Necessary
So the question for all of us is simple: are we just busy—or are we listening?
Loving God begins not with activity, but with attention. Sitting at His feet. Opening His Word. Listening continually. Allowing His voice to shape every decision.
Our prayer is that we wouldn’t fill our lives—even with good things—at the expense of the best thing. May we choose what is necessary. May we choose Jesus.
Because real meaning is found not in doing more, but in drawing nearer to Him.
Watch the full message here:
