These preicous days preparing for Christmas and the celebration of our Savior’s birth often find us on overload, feeling tired and distracted by preparations (can we say “Martha”?). By God’s strength and grace, I am making the choice to maintain and savor my daily morning quiet time with Him. Oh yes, my comfortable bed and pillow invite me to stay awhile longer, but my desperate heart and my love for Him win the beckoning for my time. I cherish my time with Him, even when my bones are aching and my “to do” list seems to have a life of its own.

Along with our church’s women’s ministry study, I am currently reading “A Quiet Place of Rest” by Nancy DeMoss. It’s subtitle is “Finding Intimacy With God Through A Daily Devotional Life”. This book is a great reminder of how God’s desire is for us to walk intimately with Him, because of our devotion for Him not out of duty.

The familiar story of Mary and Martha, two sisters from Bethany, told to us in Luke 10, is constantly ringing in the hearts of Christian women everywhere this time of year. Can I hear an “Amen”? Nancy DeMoss writes:

“Jesus reminded Martha that Mary had made a choice to cultivate her relationship with the Master. Developing intimacy with the Lord Jesus requires a conscious, deliberate choice. It is a choice to spend time sitting at His feet and listening to His Word, even when there are other good things that are demanding our attention. It is a choice to put Him first, above all our other responsibilities and tasks.

Mary’s choice was not made out of obligation, but out of devotion. She was not sitting at His feet out of a sense of duty but because she cherished her relationship with the Lord Jesus.

I can almost hear Jesus saying to Marsha, ‘We don’t have to have a five-course meal tonight. It’s OK with Me if we just have soup and crackers. It’s OK if dinner’s late, if the rolls get burned, or even if we don’t have dinner at all. None of that really matters. What matters is My relationship with you. That’s why I came to your house. That’s why I came to this world. Your company means more to Me than your cooking. You are more important to Me than anything you can do for Me.'”

Our relationship with Him. That’s why He comes to our house. That’s why He came to this world. That’s why He comes to our hearts. Let’s meet with Him today.

Now, pardon me, I have to run….I think the rolls are burning!

“But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.”

Luke 5:16