Mary and Martha

The story of the sisters is found in Luke 10:38 and following.

At the beginning of the week, I was Martha, "distracted with much" for the Lenten soup supper. I attended Matins on Tuesday morning, and found myself continually not listening, but thinking about what needed to be done next.

Wednedsay evening the soup supper went well and we cleaned up as much as possible prior to service. The kids and I sat down with about 5 minutes before the service began. Using the prayers in front of LSB and reading the Scripture readings, I tried to focus my mind on the "one thing necessary." The devil didn't want to give up so easily, he fought back. But I had Christ on my side who was fighting for me.

He began drawing me ever in-focus, first with the confession and absolution and then as the choir chanted Psalm 51. But again, the devil was still fighting and I was torn. I *wanted* to listen, to take to heart, to inwardly digest all that Christ was telling me, "but I (saw) in my members another law waging war aginst the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. " (Romans 7:23)

But thanks be to God, He pulled me ever closer through Pastor's sermon and in His supper He fed me while the congregation sang, "Jesus Think on Me." (LSB 610) The second communion hymn was "Jesus Grant That Balm and Healing" (LSB 421), which by the way is the same tune to one of my favorite Lenten hymns, "On My Heart Imprint Your Image." (LSB 422). I was able to pray the hymn words without being distracted. I had barely even noticed that the two boys were sound asleep.

It was in pondering all this yesterday, that I realized what had happened. Christ had drawn me in, not letting the "one thing necessary... be taken away from (me) ." He had made me into Mary who"sat at the Lord's feet and listened to His teaching."

Praise be to God.