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Stallings Memorial Baptist Church 817 South Main St., Salisbury, NC 28144 ~ Phone: (704)636-2052 Fax: (704)636-2056
Rev. Charles Bryan Pastor Rev. Ron Touchton Minister of Music |
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From Your Pastor |
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“The Idol of Busyness”
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!" – Luke 10:38-40
Our culture also seems to bow down to the idol of busyness. In her book called, "Not So Fast: Slow-Down Solutions for Frenzied Families," Ann Kroeker writes this: "America, the land of the high-achieving, multitasking speedaholics. We're in perpetual motion, never resting, and never quite satisfied...American families are sucked into a vortex of activities and obligations. We pile on appointments, lessons, practices, games, performances, and clubs, and then shovel in fast food...western civilization's high-speed, fast-paced, goal-oriented life has propelled us into a state of minivan mania." Kroeker also refers to a great book called, "The Life You've Always Wanted" by John Ortberg in which he tells about the time he asked a friend for some spiritual direction. Ortberg described the pace of life in Chicago, the rhythms of his family life, and the condition of his heart. He wanted to know what he could do in order to be spiritually healthy. After a long pause his mentor answered, "You must ruthlessly eliminate hurry from your life." Ortberg wasn't satisfied with this answer so he asked what more he could do. "There is nothing else," the man said. As he reflected on that advice later, Ortberg made this observation: "Hurry is the great enemy of the spiritual life in our day. Hurry can destroy our souls. Hurry can keep us from living well...For many of us the great danger is not that we will renounce our faith. It is that we will become so distracted and rushed and preoccupied that we will settle for a mediocre version of it." In Luke 10:38-42, Jesus has come to visit in the home of Martha and Mary. Martha is rushing about getting what I am sure would be a great meal together as well as doing some dusting and furniture rearranging. Mary is sitting at the feet of Jesus and enjoying listening to Him talk and just being in His presence. Martha becomes upset with Mary and complains to Jesus who replies, "Martha, Martha, 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." Think about the choices you are making and the way that you are living your life. Are you choosing the better way, or are you in too big a hurry to know what is better?
Lord, give me the courage to slow down and sit at your feet. Help me to eliminate, if not all, at least part, of the hurry from my life. AMEN. |