God's Sanctuary

As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him.  She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said.  But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made.  She came to him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself?  Tell her to help me!"

"Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed.  Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."

Luke 10:38 - 42 

God has put this familiar story on my heart the past couple of days.  Any guesses as to whether I'm a Martha or Mary? Family members can't be included in this question!  

I have noticed that since we have been a sheltered in place society and church has been online for the past couple of months that I still get ready for church.  What that means is I still get a little dressed up and I find myself serving the church.  You know in our church we serve some how in some way.  We have greeters, ushers, worshippers and the list goes on.  I have never found my exact place … but now that we are sheltered in place I have.  I find this odd. 

I just recently noticed what I have been doing.  If it isn't the night before, it is the hour right before I make sure the family room is ready to be our sanctuary.  I dust, vacuum, make sure the connecting bathroom is cleaned.  I felt God show me what I have been doing, and questioned my motives.  In my response it is my worship to him, and it draws me closer to Him.  It is my preparation for what is about to take place, and a sanctuary that others can feel welcomed and invited in.  It is a place of peace.  I know it is my worship because there is joy in the giving and my heart is already with Him as I worship through the songs that play in the back ground.

Since the above passage was nagging at me, I looked at it once more.  Martha has a bad name in this story…always has.  I have heard countless of times in my church journey "don't be a Martha".  Martha's heart might have turned in the wrong focus, but she is the one that opened the home and welcomed Jesus and his followers a place.  She is the one that welcomed Jesus in for Mary.  No one knew what was going to take place that day, but Martha was the one that allowed it to take place.

Martha's eyes shifted a bit and focused in all the details: the menu, the clean kitchen, the grocery shopping, the serving, the cleaning: dusting, vacuuming, and making sure everything was just so.  She focused on so much that she judged others for not seeing and doing as she was…when simply Jesus wants us to focus on Him and soak in His presence.  Her perfectionism and detailed mind claimed the tasks were more than Jesus, and turned her heart from welcoming to accusing. 

Does that mean since I can identify with Martha I'm not sitting before His feet?  Not today.  But there have been times I haven't.  But as I prepare and serve the church by getting the sanctuary ready it has become a place of preparation where I find myself already connecting with Jesus and it brings me so much peace and joy.  In this act of worship, it will also be a place where all will feel welcomed to come just as they are and sit before the Lord.  I will continue to prepare a place that I won't be distracted to the message that I need to hear.  But what I won't do is make it a task of demands, and get in an overwhelmed state because of the things that must be done, or make it something that I have to do.  I will continue to give to the Lord as He has created me to be, but won't demand others to do the same.  The girls will give to the church through their musical talents and Duane will continue to give with his wisdom, as he continues to lead this home. 

I know that Martha gets focused on the tasks and details and shifts her eyes off Jesus.  But in the beginning she invited Him in.  And Jesus has an open invitation this Sunday and the following to come into this home and reclaim this home as His sanctuary.  

So … life will eventually return back to normal.  What will that look like for me?  I don't know anymore.  Jesus will continue to have an invite into our home … and I will  have to find myself a place to serve where I can worship the Lord.