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Lesson Three<\/p>\n
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A FAMILY SHARES THEIR HOME<\/p>\n
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Memory Verse: Luke 10:42<\/a><\/strong> My daughter has recently begun attending Beginners 1 Sabbath School with her three-month old. For those unfamiliar with such a program, in our church it is a program designed for 0-24 month olds. They are exposed to mostly Creation, Bible stories, and the love of Jesus through songs and activities appropriate for their age.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n A recent call from her revealed what all mothers discover at some point. \u201cThe program is cute, and the baby loves it!\u201d she exclaimed. \u201cBut I realized that where I used to be spiritually fed through my devotional study, attending an adult Bible discussion class, and listening to sermons has completely vanished. My devotional time been taken up by baby care; I haven\u2019t listened to a full sermon since she was born; and what happens in her Sabbath School isn\u2019t enough.\u201d I didn\u2019t say it, but thought it: <\/span>Welcome to motherhood.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n I didn\u2019t say it, but thought it: Welcome to motherhood<\/em>.<\/b><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n I haven\u2019t found a woman who likes the story of Martha, Mary, and Jesus. Inwardly we grumble because first, we completely understand Martha\u2019s complaint; and second, Jesus sides with Mary. Or does He?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Jesus\u2019 response to Martha was kind in tone. \u201cMartha, Martha . . .,\u201d\u00a0 He begins. Note that He doesn\u2019t tell her to stop preparing the meal. Martha was a gifted hostess. She had a welcoming home, which is why we find Jesus in it. In preparing the meal for Him and those with Him, she was serving. It\u2019s exactly what we are all called to do with whatever gifts we are given. But beware: service should be out of our love for Jesus. And this is what Jesus references. It wasn\u2019t what Martha was doing, but her attitude toward Mary. As she worked she compared what she was doing to what someone else was <\/span>not<\/span><\/i> doing, causing her to grumble, and perhaps bang a few jars and pots around for good effect.<\/span><\/p>\n Mary, on the other hand, was sitting at the feet of Jesus.\u00a0<\/b><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Mary, on the other hand, was sitting at the feet of Jesus. While Martha was preparing a banquet, Mary was feasting at one. Martha was serving Jesus, but Mary was learning from Him. Just as we need to use our gifts in service, we also need to sit at the feet of Jesus.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Can you see the tension? It\u2019s what my daughter is discovering. Women, especially mothers, are consumed with service. Raising children in the Lord is the ultimate service one can give, and we need to give our all. In this, we excel in being Martha, but as my daughter recognized, we also need some Mary. Serving <\/span>and<\/span><\/i> learning. Doing and sitting. Jesus didn\u2019t pick one sister over the other. He called Martha to discover her inner Mary. And we can assume Mary was encouraged to practice a bit of Martha.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n It isn\u2019t easy. Keep reading Digging Deeper and Making it Real for ways to balance your Martha and Mary so that you, too, will be renewed.<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_testimonial url=”https:\/\/mybiblefirst.org\/?module=products&func=product&id3=177″ url_new_window=”on” portrait_url=”https:\/\/startingwithjesus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Renew2-IG1-scaled.jpg” quote_icon_color=”rgba(55,116,122,0.71)” quote_icon_background_color=”#eaeaea” font_icon=”||divi||400″ portrait_width=”290px” portrait_height=”290px” _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” body_font=”||||||||” body_font_size=”16px” author_font=”Playfair Display|800|||||||” author_font_size=”29px” author_line_height=”1.2em” position_font=”Abhaya Libre||||||||” position_font_size=”1px” position_line_height=”1em” background_color=”rgba(26,100,104,0.08)” width=”100%” max_width=”100%” animation_style=”slide” link_option_url=”https:\/\/mybiblefirst.org\/?module=products&func=product&id3=177″ link_option_url_new_window=”on” border_radii_portrait=”on|198px|198px|198px|198px” border_color_all_portrait=”RGBA(255,255,255,0)” border_style_all_portrait=”none” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
Further Study: Luke 10:38-42<\/a><\/strong>; <\/span>The<\/i> Desire of Ages<\/i><\/a>, pp. 524, 525<\/a>; The Bible Story<\/em>, vol. 8, pp. 98-100<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n