Clothesline #3

Greetings to all on 10 MAR 2006

Word for the Day
Proof-texting - Citing passages randomly from any part of the Bible without regard for the literary and historical contexts of the passages. [1]

Quote for the Day
At first glance, it would seem that the admonition to “rest in God” would stand at odds with the notion of being on “the cutting edge.” This contradiction probably arises in our minds because we know so little about resting in God. Resting in God does indeed sharply contrast with the life of today’s church, which is caught up in breathless activity. Most of us know very little about rest in God. We would be on a cutting edge if we ceased from our own work to hear God speak to us. Leaders who intentionally stop to listen for God are, by this very act, admitting that they do not know the direction or the way. [2]

Website for the Day
www.addisonrd.com
This site is for the young at heart and, perhaps, those who are subject to flashbacks!

Thought for the Day
In Luke 10.38-42 we are first introduced to Mary, Martha and Lazarus. We find Martha busy with daily life; she is preparing the meal for the guest as any woman should have been doing. But Martha turns to Mary for help only to discover that she has disappeared from the kitchen! Mary has joined with Lazarus to listen to Jesus and Martha is so indignant that she rebukes Jesus with “tell her to help me.” [3]

How can this story speak to us today? Suppose that Martha represents most of us as congregants. We are busy serving in various programs and ministries but do we allow those good activities to squeeze out the more noble pursuits? Does our church “busi-ness” detract, or even worse, substitute for making time to “sit at the Lord’s feet and listen to what he is saying”? [LUK 10.39 NRSV] Now wasn’t Martha serving the church? Yes, and there is certainly a place for that gift; Paul specifically mentions the gift of service in Romans 12.7. We need to serve one another, but one pitfall is that we often only serve ourselves. Another problem is that sometimes people bury themselves in service as a mask or band-aid to hide personal pain or spiritual scars.

As in most areas, the solution is in balance. We are called to serve, to worship and to listen. Perhaps Jesus was saying to Martha that at this time and place everyone should be listening instead of serving. When Mary anointed Jesus with the expensive oil, the disciples were indignant accusing her of waste. Notice Jesus’ response of, “For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me.”[MAT 26.11] He was the living water from whom all needed to drink. [JOH 7.38]

Jesus still provides the living water and the need remains for us to frequently return to the well. As I listened to the rain pour down this morning, it reminded me of nature’s cycle of precipitation, absorption and evaporation. Physical drought occurs when more rain does not follow evaporation. And so it is with us. Failure to do so is often most evident in paid staff who are kept busy serving, feeding, and pastoring others while they become physically exhausted and mentally drained. All of us must recharge ourselves in order to keep serving others.

What is your path to the well? We most often think of meditation, prayer, and reading; but consider a couple of alternatives: stillness and remembering. Whatever the path we must get to the well to find rest and refreshment to complete the cycle of our spiritual nature. “Rest from our labor, rest from all striving, ...conflicts, rest from agendas, and rest from the desire for recognition. At the Well we find the strength to let go, and our emphasis strangely shifts from ‘doing’ to ‘being’.”[4] Remember Jesus’ response to Martha that she is “worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken from her.” Each of us has that same choice to make.

May God Bless
Mike Toole
clw, ed.

1. Carroll Osburne, Women In The Church, ACU Press, Abilene TX, 2001, p.xviii

2. Ben Campbell Johnson & Andrew Dreitcer, Beyond The Ordinary, Eerdmans Publ., 2001, p.164

3. Near the end of Jesus’ ministry [JOH 12.1-8 & MAR 14.3-9] we find a similar, or the same, account of Martha serving and Mary anointing. Matthew and Mark both state this happened at the house of Simon the Leper, whereas, Luke says it was at Mary’s house. Notice that Jesus does not even rebuke Mary for joining with Lazarus (the men) to listen. More about that next month - stay tuned!

4. Johnson & Dreitcer, op. cit. p. 123Note: This is an excellent book for anyone who wants to pursue this topic.Short and simple, but full of concepts that you probably never thought of.