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"Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing." Luke 10:41-42

Science tells us that a dense fog, one hundred feet deep and covering seven city blocks, is composed of less than one eight-ounce glass of water. Unbelievable though it seems, a single glass of water can shut down a large, international airport. A single glass of water can completely obstruct our vision. Worry has the same power over us. Even one tiny trouble, if allowed to multiply, can put a cloud on our entire life.

Worry can be like any type of addiction. It may start out as a small concern, but then it becomes a giant habit that hooks us. It becomes bigger than life. It surrounds us and swallows us. I have actually heard someone say: "I have so many troubles that if anything bad happens today I won't be able to worry about it for two weeks." In a "Peanuts" comic strip, Linus says to Charlie Brown, "I guess it's wrong always to be worrying about tomorrow. Maybe we should think only about today." Charlie Brown (true to his reputation as a certified Worrywart) replies, "No! That's giving up! I'm still hoping that yesterday will get better."

Worry can be addictive. I am a former worry addict. I have to fight the worry addiction every day of my life! If we're still fretting about yesterday, or if we've got a backlog of worries big enough to last for the next two weeks, we're hooked. Our vision of today is obscured. We're closed down to life's present moment. We're groping in the dark and we need guidance. We need direction. We need a whole new vision of where we're going with our life.

Today, I was thinking about how Jesus came into a village and was received into the home of two friends: a woman named Mary and her sister, Martha. Although Luke condenses the episode into just a few short verses, nevertheless the scenario is one with which most of us can readily identify. Mary focuses her attention on the guest. She sits "at the Lord's feet" and she listens "to His teaching." She opens up her heart and mind to what Jesus is saying to her. She opens up her heart and mind. In Jesus' words, "Mary has chosen the good portion, which shall not be taken away from her." (Lk.10:42). Martha, on the other hand, is motivated by anxiety. I happen to be Martha.

Martha and I are always preoccupied with the trappings of hospitality. She is worried about making a good impression as a hostess. She is "distracted with much serving," Luke says. Everything has to be just right. (Sound familiar?) Moreover, Martha is disturbed because Mary isn't anxious and uptight. She even tries to get Jesus to worry about it. "Lord," she asks, "are you not concerned that my sister has left me to do all the household tasks alone?" (Lk.10:40). Jesus replies, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing." (Lk. 10:42). For Martha, for Mary, for you and for me, it is a matter of putting first things first -- a matter of priorities. After contemplating this, I thought perhaps my parents misnamed me...although, all my good friends call me Martha anyways!

How do we know when our priorities are out of order? Well, let me illustrate that with a funny (but probably true!) story. A man went to the police station to report that his wife was missing. The sergeant filling out the report asked, "How tall is she?" the man replied, "I don't know her exact height but she is probably a few inches shorter than I." "How much does she weigh?" the sergeant asked. "About average I guess," the husband said. "What color eyes does she have?" was the next question. "Oh, sort of neutral, I think," the husband answered. The sergeant continued: "What color hair?" Again the man's answer was vague: "Oh, I don't know, sort of brownish I suppose." "Was your wife carrying anything when you saw her leave the house?" the sergeant wanted to know. "Well," said the man, "she had our dog on a leash." The sergeant said, "What kind of dog?" To which the man replied, "A pedigreed Brindle and White German Shepherd, weighing thirty seven and one-half pounds, six hands high, license number 6314G attached to a dark brown collar ..." As funny as this little story is, one would be inclined to question that man's priority system!

So, what should be our top priority? Before your children, before your spouse, before your job, before your money, the one thing needful and your number one priority is God -- to live each moment of your life striving to reach our final home.... Heaven! God is always FIRST! If God isn’t first in our own lives, how can we possibly help our spouse and children, or other folks, strive for Heaven? If we are truly putting God first, we will notice that fear and anxiety begin to melt away! As a former worry addict, I can attest to this.

Jesus said to His disciples, "If God so clothes the grass in the field that grows today and is thrown into the oven tomorrow, will he not much more provide for you, O you of little faith? As for you, do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, and do not worry anymore. All the nations of the world seek for these things, and your Father knows that you need them. Instead, seek his kingdom, and these other things will be given you besides." (Lk.12:28-31). When you seek first the Kingdom of God or, more precisely, when you seek first to live under the Rule of God, you experience a peace and harmony of soul that is more than "sufficient for the day"; you realize that your oneness with God is not just for the moment, but forever. And there is no tomorrow in this sense. You are no longer anxious and fearful about the future.

Most of our thoughts about "What we are to eat?" and "What we are to drink?" and "What we are to wear?" and "What we are to spend?" and "What we are to save?" are related to the future. We buy all kinds of insurance to provide us with protection against the unknown tomorrow. But many people these days carry so much insurance against possible future losses that they may go hungry today in order to pay the premiums.

Many people these days are so preoccupied with trying to guarantee themselves future happiness that they are not able to experience happiness in the present moment. Jesus is telling us that we are not the captain of our ship. That really threw me for a loop when I sat and thought about it! I was always quite certain that I was "in control" and there was something wrong if I wasn’t!

What a shock.... then again, what a relief!

We are not the master of our fate. We are not the manager of our universe. Jesus is telling us to let God be God! There is a time to work and a time to plan and a time to think and a time to play. There is a time for all these things. But the time to cast off our "fears and anxieties" and experience the "joy and peace" is NOW! Now is the time to sit down at Jesus' feet and listen to His teaching! Now is the time to choose the better part! Now is the time to seek after the Kingdom of God! Now is the time to center our life in God! Now is the time to position our life under the Rule of God! Don’t wait for tomorrow..it could be too late!

Open your heart and mind now to the Presence of Christ deep within your being. Like Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet, choose the good portion and listen to His teachings. Don't talk, just listen, and Christ the Lord will talk to you! You will find answers! You will find PEACE! Christ the Lord wants you to know that He loves you for who your are. Listen to the Lord Jesus as He speaks to you now: "As the Father has loved Me so I have loved you. Abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love... This I command you, to love one another" (Jn. 15:9-10, 17).

May God bless you all!

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