Weary

I can't wait to share the most amazing experience I had yesterday, witnessing God, one strong and loving man, and one brave and humble woman bring life into this world.

But today, I'm weary. My temper is short, my body fatigued and I have been praying for the past hour "Lord, I know that your mercies are new every morning. Can they be new every naptime?" I have not been patient or loving with our sweet children. Instead of compassion, this morning their whines or tears brought frustration.

I forgot today where my strength comes from. In the back of mind I knew what I needed but I thought a clean kitchen or a shower would remedy the weariness of my soul. I even ignored the gentle tug on my soul enough to sit down on this silly computer and sort through my reader.

And this is what I found from one of my favorite blogs:

“And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching. but Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me." But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary.” Luke 10:39-42

My other Martha Moment? I sit, but I don’t listen.

Martha had trouble sitting because she was distracted with much serving. But she also had trouble listening.

“Martha, Martha,” our Lord lovingly addressed her, “you are anxious and troubled about many things.”

We can’t listen if we are anxious and troubled about many things.

I’ve squandered my fair share of devotional times worrying rather than listening. I sit on the living room couch with my Bible, journal, reading plan, books, and coffee, but I fail to listen.

I rehearse a difficult conversation from the night before: What could I have said? What should I have said? What will I say next time we talk?

Or I consider the day ahead: What time is Chad’s soccer game? Oh, I almost forgot I’m babysitting Kristin’s boys. And I need to get C.J.’s shirts from the cleaners before he goes out of town….

Or I notice an empty corner in the living room and begin to redecorate in my mind: If we move this chair to that corner and purchase a small table and lamp to go over here…

All the while, my Bible is open on my lap.

But I’m not listening.

I might even read my Bible, but because I am distracted, I have no idea what I just read.

I’m still not listening

Do you have your own “Martha Moments?” Do you find it hard to sit? Do you find it difficult to listen?

God knew Martha was anxious and troubled. He knows when we are anxious and troubled. He lovingly spoke to Martha; and through her story He lovingly speaks to us today: “only one thing is necessary.”

So I decided to listen. And this is what I found:

"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” — Matthew 11:28-30

"Underneath are the everlasting arms."—Deuteronomy 33:27.

"Well, child of God, remember that when thou art at thy worst and lowest, yet "underneath" thee "are everlasting arms." Sin may drag thee ever so low, but Christ's great atonement is still under all. You may have descended into the deeps, but you cannot have fallen so low as "the uttermost"; and to the uttermost He saves...This assurance of support is a comfort to any weary but earnest worker in the service of God. It implies a promise of strength for each day, grace for each need, and power for each duty. And, further, when death comes, the promise shall still hold good. When we stand in the midst of Jordan, we shall be able to say with David, "I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me." We shall descend into the grave, but we shall go no lower, for the eternal arms prevent our further fall. All through life, and at its close, we shall be upheld by the "everlasting arms"—arms that neither flag nor lose their strength, for "the everlasting God fainteth not, neither is weary." ~ Charles Spurgeon

My everlasting God does not grow weary. In fact, His yoke is light. So I'm going to take it and in His strength I'm going to get the wee ones from their beds and together, we'll sit at His feet.