Good morning…
We sat in the palpable presence of Jesus discussing our Martha-like tendencies. We marveled at how quickly, unexpectedly, without warning, our controlling human nature can rear her biting head. By the end of our conversation, we sensed our mad Martha uncovering an important question: “Why do I invite Jesus into my home, then disconnect from my Helper’s presence, before raging, ‘Lord, don’t you care that I feel left alone, overwhelmed, doing all of the work all by myself?'”
We are told “…the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a Son, and you shall name Him Jesus (The Lord is salvation), for He will save His people from their sins.” In addition “…they shall call His name Immanuel”—which, when translated, means, “God with us.” (Matthew 1:20-23, AMP).
Putting flesh on the Word, we unwrap God’s two best gifts born on Christmas morn:
1) Baby Jesus, the Lord, is our source of salvation, which means “wholeness.” As we rest, rooted in the presence of Jesus everywhere we go, our true self grows more and more whole, more and more like peaceful Mary, less and less like anxious Martha.
2) Bringing heaven to earth, on Christmas morn Immanuel is born into our everyday lives. God is with us. God is always with us.
When we feel our mad-woman-Martha tendencies welling up, taking control, wreaking havoc, might we lovingly listen to the message her anxiety brings? Might we with Martha form a prayer? “God, You are with me, offering me Your power. Please, save me from spiraling down, separating from You, suffering from my sin of self-sufficiency.”
We uncover the key difference between Martha and Mary in the self-fulfilling prophesy of Luke 10:38-42. Our Mary-part remembers: “God’s saving power is with me, growing me whole, I am never alone.” At the same time, our Martha-part gets easily “distracted by all the preparations we perceive must to be made,” and we forget to remember that Jesus, our Helper, is right here, right now, offering us God’s peaceful power.
In a loving, gentle voice we hear Jesus soothing the anxious parts of us. “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one.” Our single task is to remember: the living Lord is with me always, I am not facing this day alone. As we remember Jesus’ presence in our everyday lives, we access God’s power, God’s peace, God’s perspective helping me to handle well the challenges we face.
From a vulnerable baby born in a manger, we are told Jesus grew in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and all the people (Luke 2:52, NLT). After living a full lifetime, like you and like me, what is Jesus’ final parting gift to us as he dies, resurrects, and returns to heaven from earth? His gift is his promise: “I am with you always [remaining with you perpetually—regardless of circumstance, and on every occasion], even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20b, AMP). The gift of Christ’s perpetual presence is a great gift for us to continue unwrapping, in all circumstances, on every occasion, everyday of our earthly lives.
…Sue…
