DAILY MEDITATIONS AND AFFIRMATIONS - 303

[Albert Finch]

Luke 10:38-42 - "As Jesus and his disciples went on their way, he came to a certain village where a woman named Martha welcomed Him in her home. She had a sister named Mary, who sat down at the feet of the Lord and listened to His teaching. Martha was upset over all the work she had to do; so she came and said, 'Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her to come and help me!'
The Lord answered her, 'Martha, Martha! You are worried and troubled over so many things, but just one is needed, Mary has chosen the better part, and it will not be taken away from her."

Mary chose to sit at Jesus's feet while Martha chose to work in the kitchen.
Mary sought to please Him by being with Him while
Martha tried to please Him through service.
When Martha became jealous, she asked Jesus to tell Mary to Help her in the kitchen.

Most servants want to degrade the role of the "friend" to feel justified in their works-oriented approach to God. Jesus's response is important to remember: "Mary has chosen the better part."
Martha was making a meal that Jesus never ordered. Doing more for God is the method servants use to get God's attention that they might increase in favor.
A friend has a different focus entirely: they enjoy the favor they have and use it to spend time with their master.

To say we need both Marys and Marthas is to miss the point entirely. And it simply isn't true. It has been said that nothing would ever get done if we didn't have any Marthas. That too is a lie. That teaching comes mostly from Marthas who are intimidated by the lifestyle of Marys. Mary wasn't a nonworker. Rather she was beginning to be like her Master, who only did what He saw the Father do (John 5:19). Jesus was talking, so Mary set aside other distractions and sat down to listen. She didn't get caught up in making the food that Jesus didn't order. She was learning that working FROM His presence is much more effective than working FOR His presence.

AFFIRMATIONS:

AS I SIT AT THE FEET OF JESUS I LABOR FOR THE MEAT THAT HE GIVES ME WHICH ENDURES UNTO EVERLASTING LIFE.

I AM BECOMING A PASSENGER IN THE VEHICLE OF HIS WILL, A VEHICLE IN WHICH HE HIMSELF IS BOTH CAPTAIN AND NAVIGATOR.

"They are like stunted shrubs in the desert, with no hope for the future. They will live in the barren wilderness, in an uninhabited salty land. - Jeremiah 17:6
No one wants to make another trip through the wilderness. This is not a time to walk in circles. We are to walk with a true goal, aim, and purpose, making the most of each occasion, because we know the time is short (see Ephesians 5:14-17). Paul, the apostle, instructs us to walk purposefully toward one true goal -- God's PURPOSE for our life (see Philippians 3:12-16).

There is a rest of faith -- there is a faith that rests in confidence on God. God's promises never fail -- "Faith cometh by hearing and hearing, by the word of God." (Romans 10:17). The Word of God can create a resistless faith (through continually speaking it and meditation) -- a faith that is never daunted, a faith that never gives up, and never fails.

God has a plan of healing -- it is on the line of perfect confidence in Him. You can never pray "the prayer of faith" if you look at the person who is needing it; there is only one place to look and that is to Jesus.
May God help us today to get our eyes off the conditions and symptoms, no matter how bad they may be, and get them fastened upon Him, and then we shall be able to pray the prayer of faith.

ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
http://afministry.ning.com/