Missing the Gift

DAILY BYTE

Yesterday, the story of Martha was introduced. The particular incident referred to is found in Luke 10:38-42. Here it is:

Now as they went on their way, he entered a certain village, where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. 39She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to what he was saying. 40But Martha was distracted by her many tasks; so she came to him and asked, ‘Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me.’ 41But the Lord answered her, ‘Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; 42there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.’

As was mentioned briefly yesterday, Martha had opened her home to Jesus in hospitality, offering a cherished gift. But in so doing she was also opening herself to receive a cherished gift – the cherished gift of the peace of Christ and the good news of the kingdom.

That’s what true hospitality does. It opens us to a fuller presence. It opens us to cherished gifts of peace and grace. Just a little earlier in Luke 10 Jesus had sent out 70 disciples ahead of him with the instruction to offer words of peace and to proclaim the coming of the Kingdom to all those who offered them the welcome of their home. Isn’t this exactly what we’ve experienced as a nation this World Cup? And this is what Martha sought to offer.

And yet, in spite of the welcome she offered Jesus, in spite of the peace which his presence represented, Martha failed to take hold of that gift that he had graciously brought near. Instead, we read that she was worried and distracted by many things.

How tragic that Martha had the Prince of Peace in her home, and yet did not have any peace in her heart. How sad that she had opened her doors to Jesus, but kept her mind closed to his grace. Her story is a sobering reminder to us that we can easily miss out on the greatest gifts of life that are right before us That we can be in the very presence of holiness, and yet continue along untransformed paths of resentment and ungraciousness.

Thankfully, this is not the end of the story for Martha, as we will discover tomorrow. And it’s also not the end of the story for us. For even though we might be closed off to the transforming presence of God in our midst, thankfully the love and grace of God are such that they can seep through our stubborn resistance and our obstinate defenses. But how much better it is when we fling ourselves open as an act of trusting faith and actively co-operate with what God lovingly longs to do within us.

PRAY AS YOU GO

Infinitely loving and patient God, we do not want to miss out on the cherished gifts of grace that are all around us. And so help us to offer to you the true gift of hospitality, not just giving lip-service to making space for you in our lives, but truly opening ourselves to your transforming presence. As we do so, guard and keep us from those distractions that can get in the way of us receiving all that it is that you have for us. Amen.

SCRIPTURE READING

Mark 4:18-19

‘Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desire for others things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful.’