Sit Still and Listen To Jesus

Luke 10:39.

The bible says that if we were to offer our body to be burned yet had not Charity (love), it would profit us nothing. We want to show others that we love Jesus. We want to provide the world with evidence of our spirituality by doing good and charitable things.

Sometimes we do a lot of impressive things, but God is just trying to get us to sit still and listen to Him. So often we start projects and programs with enthusiasm and energy, only to grow weary and annoyed as the demands beat on us. It takes a determined person to keep a mature spiritual focus while so much is going on.

Individuals today are so distracted and fickle. It’s difficult to get them to even show up for a service. They are so busy. But Mary was not that way. Her love for the Lord was overflowing. On one occasion she broke an alabaster box of precious ointment and poured it all over Jesus. But this time she is sitting quietly; waiting and listening to the voice that makes our crooked straight and rebuilds the broken ruins of our lives.

Sometimes faith is active. It gets up and visits the sick and downtrodden. It goes out into the community spreading the life-changing gospel of His Grace. At other times faith is quiet and restful. It sits still and listens. But that does not mean it’s not doing anything.

When our hearts are satisfied to the extent that we have no doubt about our salvation, our healing, or that our needs will be met, then that is a quiet resting faith that is free of worry.

Jesus praised Mary for anointing Him with that expensive ointment. But He also praised her for sitting at His feet and hearing His words. "But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away Luke 10:42. Notice in verse 39, the word also is used in relating Mary’s quiet faith. In other words Mary did other things in addition to sitting and listening. Martha tried to make a big deal out of Mary’s failure to help her with what she was doing at that particular time, but I don’t think things were as bad as Martha tried to make it.

So many times what other people are trying to get us to do can wait. But the exact moment that Jesus impresses His will upon our heart; we need to give our full attention to Him. One word from Jesus can change our lives forever; therefore we don’t want to risk missing it.

Most of us are very busy people. We work all day to make a living, and when we get home, there are countless other things we need to do. But when we finally reach that recliner, we sit down. While outside, we cannot rest. There’s too much to deal with. But when we get home, we have everything in place to rest. What would life be like if there were no rest?

We have to sit still sometimes. We who work the longest, toil the most, and think the hardest. We have to ask the Lord for the grace to make quality time for Him and us.

When its time to sit still and listen to Jesus, we don’t want to be up helping Martha. Jesus cannot wait, but Martha can.

We preachers are notorious for being like Martha. We get overburdened "with much serving". But no matter what office we occupy, there comes a time when we have nothing to do but sit down and listen to Jesus. The deacon needs to sit down and listen, and so does the teacher. There are no exceptions. Saving souls and sending the resources is His responsibility. He needs us to sit still and listen.

According to 1 Peter 5:7, we should cast our burdens on the Lord. Many of us keep those burdens and carry them around with us seven days a week. They plague us all the time, and they will continue to irritate us until we say, "Enough. I’ll have nothing more to do with you. My soul is gone away to sit still and listen to Jesus".

Martha was getting a feast ready. That took a lot of work and organization. There was plenty to do and she needed help. I believe Mary knew this, and she knew what she needed to do. But she had to sit there and listen. She couldn’t very well move when the Spirit of God had her attention. She had to relish that moment, and I assure you she would never forget it.

One reason we can sit down is because Jesus is sitting down. Our salvation is complete. "And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power" Colossians 2:10. "To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved" Ephesians 1:7.

When we realize just how much we have received from Him, we will sit still and listen. There are so many tender mercies we have yet to receive from Him. But we have to sit still. When we received Jesus as our Lord, we found more than we will ever find again. Everything else is small in comparison to what we have now. We have found the pearl of great price, and everything else pales in comparison to Christ Jesus.

What can we do anyway; worry ourselves into the grave? What would that accomplish? God was taking care of things before we got here, and He will be taking care of things when we’re gone. He planned the exact period of time that you and I would be on this planet. He doesn’t want us so pressed down that we have no time to listen to him. And if by chance we do give Him some time, we are so worn out that it’s a fruitless event. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls: for my yoke is easy and my burden is light Matthew 11: 29-30.

Jesus doesn’t want us worrying our selves to death, and He doesn’t want our lives so cluttered that we have no joy or time for Him. We would do better if we come and sit at His feet. Seek after that quiet communion where He can pour strength into us.

Some of us are like Martha; we have to be managers. We manage this and we manage that. Mary didn’t concern herself with nothing but listening. That was her only objective, therefore she was able receive something personal from Jesus.

Mary was sitting close to Jesus. She could see His eyes and the expression on His face as He spoke to her. A voice sounds different up close than when far away. When we are close to Jesus (sitting still and listening), we understand better. We perceive truths that we won’t soon forget. His words season our whole life. We resolve to love Jesus more and more.

No doubt the ointment Mary poured out on Jesus was dear to her. She gave the best she had. No leftovers. When the time came, Mary went upstairs, brought the ointment down and poured it on Jesus. When she did the fragrance filled the whole house. I don’t own anything so precious that I can’t give it to Jesus. No sacrifice is too great and no gift too precious.

Before we can represent Jesus adequately, we have to sit still and listen to Him. Before we can imitate Him, we have to spend time listening to Him.

Please don’t misunderstand me. It is not my intention to misrepresent Martha; I am not suggesting that what she was doing was not important. This is not an either/or ordeal. But in life we do seem to imitate Martha and miss Mary. Martha received Jesus into her home but got so busy for Him that she didn’t do anything with Him. There are few things as damaging neglecting Jesus. Without Him we can do nothing.

Martha actually could have handled that work. It wasn’t too much, but she got distracted. The same thing can happen to us if we fail to take time to sit still and listen to Jesus.

He is waiting right now to talk to us, to listen to us, to love us without measure or condition. Oh that Jesus would help us to keep our time with Him. It would be worth every moment.

By: Edmund Brown