Dr. Charles Stanley
Read | Luke 10:38-42
While heading to Jerusalem, Jesus stopped in Bethany to spend some time with friends He loved—Lazarus and his two sisters. As Martha was rushing around preparing a meal, Mary sat listening to the Lord.
In those days, culture dictated that a woman served the men in the house. By resting at Jesus’ feet, Mary was defying her society’s conventions. But this was a woman who cared more for her Lord than for doing what was culturally appropriate. When Martha complained, Jesus gently explained that her sister was making the right choice. The number one priority was to spend time with Him.
What was true for Mary and Martha is true for us today. Every believer needs to carve out personal time with God. There are many Christians who think that they prove their love for the Lord by going to church, tithing their income, and sharing the gospel. All these things are important, but actions are empty unless we are connecting with God personally on a regular basis. Doing so demonstrates how much we value our relationship with Him, since the people we spend time with are those we love most.
Believers often rationalize by saying they are too busy. We tell ourselves, I just need to finish a few things, and then I’ll pray and read the Bible, but there always seems to be a new task to replace each completed one. We must choose to make time for the Lord.
Changing our schedule to give God His rightful place can be difficult. But no other relationship in life equals what we have with the Lord when we make Him our top priority.
