Luke 10:38–42 tells the well-known story of a village household where Martha is busy serving, preparing food, hosting guests, while her sister Mary sits at Jesus’ feet, simply listening. Eventually, Martha becomes frustrated and asks Jesus to intervene, but doesn’t get the answer she’s expecting. This post contains some extracts from Dr Keith Burns’ reflection at our service of Morning Worship on 20 July 2025.

In today’s world, many of us are deeply familiar with Martha’s experience. We strive to be dependable, capable, and efficient. We try to keep everyone happy, to meet expectations, and to hold everything together — often feeling that if we don’t do it, no one will. In this kind of world, our value is often measured by our output, and busyness is worn like a badge of honour. But Jesus offers us another way: the way of presence, peace, and rest in Him.

This doesn’t mean abandoning our responsibilities. Jesus never says that Martha’s work is unimportant. What He offers is a reordering of our hearts — a call to come to Him first, to centre our lives in His presence, so that everything else flows from that place of stillness and love. When we take time to be with Him, even briefly, we find that our work becomes lighter and our relationships richer.

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Jesus’ gentle words to Martha are not only meant for her; they are for us too: “You are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one.” He is not scolding her — or us. He is inviting us to return. To let go of the pressure and the noise, and to come back to the one thing that matters most.

As Paul says, “Christ in you, the hope of glory”  (Colossians 1:27). This is not a God who is far away, but One who dwells within us, who strengthens us, and who gives us peace in the middle of whatever we’re facing.

What would it look like this week to carry that awareness with us? To begin each day with a short prayer: “Jesus, help me to stay close to You today.” To pause in the middle of a busy afternoon and remember: “You are with me. I don’t need to do this alone.”

May we be people who serve with Martha’s hands but keep Mary’s heart. May we find moments to pause, to sit, and to listen. And may we discover, again and again, that Christ is the one who holds everything together — including us.

You can read the whole of Keith’s sermon at this link.

Our picture of Christ in the House of Martha and Mary was painted in 1628 by Jan Brueghel the Younger and Peter Paul Rubens, an example of artistic collaboration between two of the Flemish Baroque era’s most celebrated painters. The image is in the public domain, via Wikimedia Commons. You may enjoy the reflection on the painting at this link.