The One Thing

Luke 10:41-42  But the Lord said to her, "My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her."

Christmas is in two days, and my daughter, Rachelle, has ONE decoration on her family's Christmas tree - a school art project made by her three-year old son. When she put this special decoration on the tree, her little boy asked, "Mommy, where are the balls?" He recognized that something was missing .... that they had no ornaments! 

In my daughter and son-in-law's defense, they usually have a beautifully decorated tree. However, this year's undecorated tree is representative of their unwavering focus on the important thing that God has called them to do. Their focus, their commitment, centers on finalizing the preparations for the opening of Cross Church of Houma ... a Church being birthed out of their desire to bring people to a stronger relationship with God.

As I reflected on how hard everyone has been working to ensure that all will be in place for the first service, I began to think about how absolutely exhausting this time of the season can be for most individuals. Buying gifts, decorating the house, trimming the tree, planning family activities, wrapping presents, shopping for groceries, cooking and baking, cleaning the house for guests, etc. can cause us to lose sight of the real reason for the season. 

I recently came across the following statement: "With all of the gifts to buy and wrap, parties to attend, and fun to be had, there is little time left to sit and ponder a baby in a manger." Today's scripture assures us that Jesus IS concerned about our realization of the importance of spending time with Him.  The details of the Christmas "chaos" can cause us to become worried and upset - just as Martha was. 

My challenge to you today is to follow my daughter and son-in-law's lead. Don't worry about putting ornaments on the tree if it means that you can spend time doing things to further Jesus' kingdom. Take a moment to evaluate your Christmas To Do list and scratch off those things that have little eternal value. Then, focus on the items on your list that have the potential to draw others closer to Him. That is truly the very best gift you can give to someone - the best gift you can give to yourself! 

Dear Lord,  I desire to make spending time with You a priority. Help me to always remember that this IS truly the ONE THING WORTH BEING CONCERNED ABOUT! 

I thank You, my Jesus, for dying for me. I believe that You are Lord and that God raised You from the grave so that I can have eternal life.