As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. Luke 10:38 NIV
The story in Luke’s gospel about the time Martha opened her home to Jesus and his disciples is brief and yet full of meaning. The Old Testament, mostly written in Hebrew, does not mention the name Martha even one time. The name is Aramaic and it means “Lady” or “Mistress of the House.”
From this understanding and the work Martha performed, we can deduce that she was the elder sister of the family. Along with her younger sister Mary, a third sibling was their brother Lazarus, made famous when the Lord raised him from the dead.
After Martha opened her home to the Lord and his disciples, she busied herself preparing to accommodate her guests. We can imagine her making comfortable sleeping arrangements and concerning herself with food preparations and the like. While Martha worked, her sister Mary sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his message.
The Good Part
Overwhelmed with the work of her hospitality, Martha says to Jesus in Luke 10:40, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister left me to serve alone? Ask her therefore to help me. WEB” Luke 10:41-42 records the Lord’s response saying, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is needed. Mary has chosen the good part, which will not be taken away from her. WEB”
In this statement, we understand that the word of God and the message Jesus delivers is more important than our daily work. As we read in Matthew 4:4 when Jesus responds to Satan’s temptation to turn stones to bread to relieve his hunger, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. WEB”
Although our daily tasks are important and our hunger must be satisfied, the word of God takes precedence over all other things. There is a hunger that is greater than the human hunger for food and a comfort greater than the most hospitable worldly environment. As we read in Matthew 5:6, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled. WEB”
Prayer: “Father God, thank you for those who open their houses to serve others. Thank you for the faithful that adhere to the message of Jesus. Guide me into hospitality. Help me to share the Good news of Christ with the world. In Jesus’ name – Amen”
Yesterday’s Devotional: A Wedding in Cana
