Just One Thing Is Needed

The Lord answered her, “Martha Martha! You are worried and troubled over so many things but just one is needed. Mary has chosen the right thing and it will not be taken away from her”. Luke 10:41-42.

Key things to note in the scriptures:

· Just one thing is needed

· We need to choose the right thing

· It will never be taken away from us.

In our lives and various aspects, we might be chasing after so many things. We may be overwhelmed by people's expectations, our life's purpose, or the direction of our lives. We are trying so hard to figure out what to do next. The pressure is both innate and external. From the world view, there are several things we have to achieve to be recognized or even get a seat at the table, so of course, we very persistently chase after those things. We do this by running here and there, looking for security and happiness in so many different places, people, and things. We try out so many interests, hobbies, and pleasures just to fill that gaping hole in our lives, but to no avail, because the answer is not in those things.

Today, Jesus Christ, the son of the living God, clearly tells us through this scripture that all other things are unnecessary. Just one thing is needed. It sounds too simple, doesn't it? He tells us that just one thing is important for our lives as children of God. Just one thing is needed to give us rest, joy, peace, and security, and to fill that gaping hole in our lives. He says there is just one thing we need to live the life that God has ordained for us, to find purpose and direction, and that thing cannot be compared to anything else. It is therefore the perfect thing for us, and we only receive it when we choose it. It comes by choice. No one is going to force it on us. Once we choose it, it can never be taken away from us. What is this one thing? Let’s see!

The scripture tells us that Mary chose to sit down at the feet of the Lord and listen to His teachings. According to Jesus Christ, by this act, she chose the one right thing which could never be taken away from her. This one thing is therefore our fellowship and closeness with Jesus Christ—our eagerness to spend time with Him and hear from Him. On the other hand, her sister was running around doing this and doing that, probably trying to please Jesus with her acts of service, but all Jesus needed and wanted from her was her undivided attention and focus on Him. Please note that Martha’s acts of service in general were not bad, but they were a disservice to her because they prevented her from spending quality time with Jesus. What activities take us away from spending quality time with God? It’s time to think about these and start cutting them off.

The world offers so many distractions, which one way or the other steal our attention and affection from God. Martha’s emotions became worry instead of peace because her mind was on all other things but Jesus, trying so hard to figure it all out by herself. Martha’s physical state was stress instead of rest and strength because her focus was on all other things instead of Jesus Christ. Like Martha, most of us are so worried and troubled about so many things aside from our relationship with God, but the Bible says we should seek first the Kingdom of God and all other things shall be added unto us (Matthew 6:33). It’s time to fix our focus on God, who is the source of every good thing. The Bible also says that every good and perfect gift comes from above (James 1:17). Whatever our need, be it emotional, physical, spiritual, financial, etc., it is important to remember that God can and is willing to absolutely take care of them, so no need to look to other sources. We need to always stay glued to God in every situation, to choose and focus on the one thing that has the power to save our lives. Don’t give up on God because He won’t give up on you.

Even in our churches, some of us focus so much on our acts of service, which are generally good, but become stumbling blocks when they lead us to murmur, be jealous, be pompous, or become greedy. It’s time to stand back and look at the things we do in our churches. At inception, our goal is to please God, but when we look now, are we really pleasing God, or are we pleasing man? Are we working in God’s house with our whole heart and with diligence, or are we just holding these positions just for our ego? Are we sure that we are pleasing God with the things we do in our churches, or are they moving us further and further away from sitting under the feet of our Lord and Savior? Now more importantly, while we publicly worship and serve Him, do we do the same privately? Do we spend time in eagerness and consistency alone, studying His word, fellowshipping with Him, listening to Him, and doing what He tells us? These are a few things to think about.

Please let’s make sure that as children of God, we have chosen the one thing, the one right thing that can never be taken away from us. The one thing that can lead us into God's divine purpose for our lives and give us direction and peace for our lives.

Father Lord, today we chose that which can never be taken away from us. We choose your word, fellowship with you, communion with the Holy Spirit, and prayer over every other distraction or stress. We choose your peace over every form of worldly pleasure or pressure and we choose your love over every form of worldly temporal lust. We choose you above every other thing. So help us Holy Spirit. In Jesus name, Amen!