Devotion and attention to God

He is the beautiful One.

The Luke passage below is one of my favourites!

Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. 

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.” (Luke 10:38-40)

That last section paints a familiar picture; this is how I have lived. Busy, always busy. Getting on with work, social life, church life, family, and friends, a partner, projects. The distractions of duty and pleasure alike, including many good and honourable things. 

But eyes not riveted, gazed unfocused, distracted from the One.

If like Jesus points out in Mary’s example, we’re sitting at His feet, eyes and ears to Him, our attention and devotion will ensure we are always doing the ‘one thing [that] is needed’:

But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, 

but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:41-42) 

There is just one thing that is needed. To be with Him. That's it. Nothing else.

I wish I could write this into my brain, engrave it onto my hands so I do not forget... ah but I can!

To memorise Scripture to bind it about me and write it on the tablets of my heart. (Deuteronomy 11:18; Proverbs 7:3) This is to truly guard oneself with wisdom to love yourself in fact. And I am far from a 'self-love' proponent.

If what you earnestly desire is to nourish and take care of you first, you are living for nothing. 

He who seeks to keep his life will lose it. 

Jesus is the purpose and meaning and colour and beauty and life and light of our entire exisitence.

This universe, the galaxies all spin simply at His utterance. God stirs and the world is turned about. 
If You live for this One, if you lay your life down for He who is worthy, then you find everything you've ever needed.

But, also, when you love Him with all that you are, His favour wraps you up and His goodness and mercy pursue you and there is fullness of joy; it's the best love your self could ever receive!

So give!

Give it all to Him.

“So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.” (‭‭Luke‬ ‭14:33‬) ‭

Coming to Jesus requires giving our all to Him. Costly surrender that should not be underestimated

“For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it—” (Luke‬ ‭14:28)‬ ‭

When we have a revelation of our radical sonship, we will live fully abandoned knowing our everything is satisfied in Him.

As the father explained to the older son:

““And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours.”

(‭‭Luke‬ ‭15:31‬)

Ultimately, it is our choice to accept His covering, the cloak of love that has already been thrown around us, and embrace Him fiercely and unashamedly as children of our King Father.

Acts of love, total abandon

She '...brought an alabaster flask of ointment, and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment. (Luke 7:37-38)

In Luke’s account of a woman anointing Jesus, unlike the other Gospels, she is marked as a sinful woman. I think this was actually a different person to Mary of Bethany, but regardless of who, what, and when, isn’t it stunning what Jesus says that love for Him is proportionate to what we’ve been forgiven of? 

Honestly, I've always found it unnerving that Jesus said the one who has been forgiven the most loves the most as I feared that my ability to love Him would be capped if I hadn't lived the wildest, most sinful life (although all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God).

Clearly, it's the measure of our gratitude that is being counted here. At least, that's how I see it now.

You see, the way she loves is truly amazing, because she's caught up in the splendour of who He is BEFORE He’s even proclaimed her forgiveness. 

She comes and as Jesus said she 'wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair...she has not ceased to kiss my feet...she has anointed my feet with ointment. Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much' (Luke 7:43-47)

This is laid down love, this is faith that we will find favour in His sight, this is the hope of freedom from our burdens, but also it is unselfishness. 

If this woman was preoccupied with how her culturally uncouth, undignified acts of worship looked, she wouldn’t have given her everything. 

I want to live unselfish and love Him like she did.

With eyes for only Him, we give an offering of true adoration.💗

Photo by Gary Ellis on Unsplash