A Mary Moment: Learning to Sit at the Feet of Jesus

Do you know the Bible story about Mary and Martha?

They were sisters, and we find their story in Luke 10. Jesus came to visit, and while Martha was busy busting her butt to prepare everything and make sure it was all in order, Mary sat at the feet of Jesus.

Eventually, Martha had enough. She went to Jesus and asked Him to tell Mary to help her.

I grew up with sisters, so I can totally picture this moment. She was tattling on her sister to the authority figure in her home! 😂

But Jesus responded with something Martha probably wasn't expecting:

“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” — Luke 10:41–42 (NIV)

Oh, Martha. I get you, girl.

More often than not, I'm Martha.

And I have nothing against her. Quite honestly, I have a lot in common with her. She wanted everything to be perfect for Jesus. She wanted to be a good hostess and make sure everything was taken care of. Her intentions weren't bad. She was trying to serve the very One who had come to visit her home.

Jesus wasn't faulting her for wanting to serve. He was reminding her where her priorities needed to be.

A house will get dirty again. The laundry will pile up. The dishes will need washing, and there will always be another decision to make, another task to finish, or another thing demanding our attention.

But Mary recognized something Martha had lost sight of in the busyness: being in the presence of Jesus mattered more than getting everything done.

One evening, I found myself at my wit's end. There was so much to do. So many decisions weighing heavily on my heart. So many things I felt responsible for figuring out.

And I finally told God, “I don't know if I have the energy to do it all. It just feels like too much.”

Friends, I felt guilty sitting there with Jesus.

I felt like I should be doing something. Figuring something out. Making a plan. Taking the next step. Being productive.

I felt like I needed to be a Martha.

But in that quiet moment, God ever so lovingly told me:

“You're being a Mary right now. You are right where you need to be.”

My eyes welled up with tears.

For once, I got it right.

Instead of trying to figure everything out on my own, instead of making another plan or finding another way to get things done, I simply sat at the feet of Jesus. Hand open, exhausted, asking for strength and wisdom.

I thought I was doing something wrong by sitting there describing my weakness. But God gently reminded me that sitting still with Him is the very thing we need to do. Just being in His presence can bring peace to a weary worn out soul.

Maybe you're more like a Martha, too.

Maybe your mind is constantly running through the list of things that need to be done. Maybe you're carrying decisions that feel too heavy, trying to hold everything together, or feeling guilty whenever you stop long enough to catch your breath.

But there was an invitation is to come to Him right in the middle of the mess.

Friend, you don't have to earn your rest in His presence. We are more than what we do and accomplish. Especially to Jesus.

We weren't created just to do things. We were created to know Him, to walk with Him, and to depend on Him. To love and worship Him.

So today, let's give ourselves permission to have a Mary moment.

Let's quiet our busy minds, and sit at the feet of the One who already knows every burden we're carrying, to soak in His peace and gain strength for the rest of the day.

Because the feet of Jesus are exactly where we are called to be.