Sometimes You Just Gotta Sit

I like to stay busy. I like being productive with my time. I like optimizing anything and everything I do. There are always things to do. And I feel very awkward when I don't have anything to do. Seriously. When I finish my tasks for the day, I begin to worry that I forgot to do something.

I was thinking about what our "work" entails when it comes to being a Christian. If you're familiar with scripture, then you know that we are called to go out and make disciples of all nations. We're supposed to work by spreading the good news -- the Gospel. So as a disciple of Christ, we must work to glorify His kingdom in the way we love one another. But I was reading a passage and learned that being a disciple doesn't mean to work 24/7.

"As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”

“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: 38-42

Most of you probably know the story of Martha and Mary. I've heard sermons on this way too many times. Honestly, I feel that I've gotten everything I could out of this passage. But I learned something new.

In verse 39, Mary "sat" at the feet of Jesus while Martha was working to prepare for her guest. I read the footnotes of my study bible, and it described Mary's physical posture/gesture. Mary is sitting at the Lord's feet. This is described to be "a disciple's proper place".

When I read this, it blew my mind. How can sitting be a disciple's proper place? Aren't we called to be working for God? There are people who need to experience God. There are people who need help, physically, mentally, and spiritually. But we're supposed to just sit and be still? Why? This is wasting time. We're running out of time.

Then I realized, we are made to rest. We are biologically programmed to rest by sleeping. On top of that, God rested. We're created in His image. Therefore, we need rest at times throughout our lives. More importantly, we need to rest in Him. He's the only one that can recharge you completely.

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