Easter time is always a hectic time for me. I’m usually exhausted after finalising my student’s marks and then I have to rush to ensure that the notes and assessments are ready for the next term. There have been times when I have been so caught up in everything that I have to do, that Easter flies by and I forget to reflect on the significance of the day.
So often we get caught up in the busyness of the world. We focus too much on our career, on chores around our homes or even on our favourite recreational activity. Sometimes we even get so caught up in serving God at church that we actually forget about Him!
Whenever I am feeling really busy, I am reminded of the story of Mary and Martha in Luke 10:38-42. When Jesus and His disciples went to their home, Martha rushed around, distracted by all that had to be done. Mary, on the other hand, sat at Jesus’ feet hanging onto His every word. Martha had had enough of her ‘lazy’ sister and complained about her to Jesus. I love Jesus’s response in Luke 10:41-42: “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.”
I know that I am very often a lot like Martha. I’m very easily distracted by the work that I have to do. I even justify my busyness by saying that when I have finished all my work I will have more time to spend exclusively with God. Unfortunately, the work keeps piling up – just when one item has been crossed off my ‘to do’ list, another one pops up – so I never finish all my work.
There are times that we all get so caught up in the preparations for important dates on the Christian calendar. We organise family events and stress about the details. But in these verses, Jesus tells us that only one thing is needed and that is to sit as His feet, listening to what He has to tell us, like Mary did. We need to put aside our hectic schedules and focus on Him. We need to focus on the reason for the season – Jesus Christ.
During this Easter period, I encourage you all to spend more time focusing on God and His character. Spend time focusing on the amazing sacrifice that He made on the cross for us. If you celebrate lent, instead of choosing to deny yourself of something, choose to add something to your days – extra time with God.
Set aside a specific time to just focus on God. I have recently been challenged to spend time with God in the morning before I go to work. This way I have done the ‘better’ thing first. I also find that focusing on God early in the morning helps remind me to focus on Him for the rest of the day. During your quiet times with God, try not to do all the talking, but just sit silently in His presence. Allow Him to speak to you. When you don’t spend time with God, you start running on empty and end up doing things in your own strength. This makes it easy for you to become a Martha again.
Use this Easter period to get deeper into God’s word. Find a devotional book to guide you or start reading the Gospels again to remind you of the amazing life that Jesus led. One Easter, I decided to create a character sketch of Jesus using the Gospels. After reading each chapter, I would write down what I’d learnt about Jesus’ character. I also read through the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22+23) because these are Jesus’s characteristics. I took each one and looked them up in a dictionary to get a greater understanding of what each fruit meant and I found that pretty helpful in learning more about Him. You could also read the book of Romans which highlights God’s amazing grace and reminds you to appreciate the sacrifice He made for you on the cross.
In the past, there have been times when I have felt guilty for not focusing enough on God during Easter. I have realised though, that this is not what God wants me to feel. We need to desire to focus on God, not because we know that we will feel bad if we don’t, but because we realise that there is no greater place to be than at His feet. When God is at the centre of our lives, when we realise the amazing gift of His death on the cross, we will live fulfilled and joyful lives.
So over this busy Easter period, remember that only one thing is needed. Be like Mary and spend time listening to God through His word and through prayer. Choose what is better because the joy that you will experience can never be taken away from you.
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