Don’t Miss Jesus While Trying to Work for Him
“Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary” - Luke 10:41-42
You can be doing everything for Jesus and still miss being with Him. That’s the warning tucked inside the story of Martha and Mary in Luke 10. One sister is busy preparing, serving, and managing the moment. The other is simply sitting at the feet of Jesus, soaking in His presence. And it’s the quiet one, not the busy one, who Jesus calls right.
It’s easy to fall into the trap of equating activity with intimacy. You might be volunteering at church, leading small groups, building a ministry, or raising a godly family. But if you aren’t carving out space just to be with Him, you’re slowly drifting. Doing all the right things but losing the joy of why you started in the first place.
Jesus isn’t after your performance. He’s after your heart. He doesn’t need you to impress Him with spiritual busyness. He wants you to come close and listen. That’s what Mary did. She didn’t bring anything to the table except her presence, and that was enough.
You were not created to just serve a mission. You were made for relationship with the One who gave you the mission in the first place. If your schedule is packed with Christian things but your soul feels distant from Christ, something’s off.
Let this be a moment where you pause and ask yourself honestly, “When was the last time I just sat with Jesus?” Not for a sermon, not to prep a lesson, not to post something online. Just you and Him.
The work can wait. The to-do list will still be there. But you cannot afford to miss Him in the name of serving Him.
So slow down. Breathe. Sit. He’s not asking you to do more. He’s inviting you to draw near.
You can be doing everything for Jesus and still miss being with Him. That’s the warning tucked inside the story of Martha and Mary in Luke 10. One sister is busy preparing, serving, and managing the moment. The other is simply sitting at the feet of Jesus, soaking in His presence. And it’s the quiet one, not the busy one, who Jesus calls right.
It’s easy to fall into the trap of equating activity with intimacy. You might be volunteering at church, leading small groups, building a ministry, or raising a godly family. But if you aren’t carving out space just to be with Him, you’re slowly drifting. Doing all the right things but losing the joy of why you started in the first place.
Jesus isn’t after your performance. He’s after your heart. He doesn’t need you to impress Him with spiritual busyness. He wants you to come close and listen. That’s what Mary did. She didn’t bring anything to the table except her presence, and that was enough.
You were not created to just serve a mission. You were made for relationship with the One who gave you the mission in the first place. If your schedule is packed with Christian things but your soul feels distant from Christ, something’s off.
Let this be a moment where you pause and ask yourself honestly, “When was the last time I just sat with Jesus?” Not for a sermon, not to prep a lesson, not to post something online. Just you and Him.
The work can wait. The to-do list will still be there. But you cannot afford to miss Him in the name of serving Him.
So slow down. Breathe. Sit. He’s not asking you to do more. He’s inviting you to draw near.
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4 Comments
I’ve bumped my head up against a wall a few times. It always boils down to me stopping whatever I am doing and surrendering. Thank you Pastor Ed.
Amen!!
I got saved back in 1983 , I got so busy for God back then that I truly missed the ship anthem would say. Ended up taking my eyes off the Lord as I should've kept them on Christ. And Ended up walking away from God you don't fall you walk away. And for 20 plus years I was back in the world. Went and fought in Iraq came home safe, and God still took care of me. Till lead my wife and I to CBC in 2016 with our son he got saved i rededicated my life. To the Lord 3 years later we lost our son through an accident. Changed my life and my wife's its been 5 years now until now as I do my devotions I read the passage that Pastor Ed shared. That Christ wants to have you near him just as Mary was. Back in the day at the church I use to go to in Michigan Community Baptist Church. I was on the bus route, went Soul Winning, preached at the rescue mission. Wednesday church Sunday church twice on the day. That I lost sight of what was really important. And that was just as Mary did was to be at the feet of Christ. I had lost the whole meaning of what serving is and was back then. But now at 6:54am I now know and understand. Oh I will keep serving on the prayer team and doing what may be needed of me. But my eyes were opened to see how I'm supposed to serve. Praise God for his goodness and love he has for us to always have a 2 chance to do what is right in the eyes of the Lord Jesus Christ.
I really needed to hear this! Things have been rough and I feel them getting rougher & this should have been my solution. Ive been unmotivated, no desire, but I’m going to PRAISE him through it! Thank you for the reminder!