Distracted

Have you ever been so tuned into something that nothing could distract you? Maybe it’s when you have to drive at night in the rain: the road has your focus so completely that nothing else could distract you. Maybe it’s a new movie that is so gripping nothing else can pull your attention away. Has a person ever captivated your attention so completely? What if your favorite celebrity came over to your house for a visit? Would that person have your undivided attention? What about a president or world leader? What about the King of all creation? Would Jesus have your undivided attention if He walked in the room and sat down?

“As Jesus and the disciples continued on their way to Jerusalem, they came to a certain village where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. Her sister, Mary, sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what he taught. But Martha was distracted by the big dinner she was preparing. She came to Jesus and said, ‘Lord, doesn’t it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me.’ But the Lord said to her, ‘My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.’” (Luke 10:38-42)

Jesus is in the room but Martha was distracted. That may seem impossible—surely we wouldn’t be distracted by anything else if Jesus came over to our house. Isn’t Jesus always at your house? Don’t we allow distractions regularly? Maybe Martha’s dilemma is more relatable than we think. We can let a great number of things distract us from Jesus: politics distract us, viruses, annoyances, ego, pride, and perhaps worst of all, fear. How many times has a concern dominated your thoughts and distracted your mind and heart?

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7)

“Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.” (1 Peter 5:7)

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.” (2 Timothy 1:7)

What is distracting you from Jesus? What is holding you back from giving your worries and cares to Him? What has you gripped with fear? What is pulling you away from being the husband, wife, mother, or father that God wants you to be? Is it an addiction to a secret sin? Is it fear of the unknown? A psychologist once said that what we worry about points to what we have put our hope in. If you are worried about money, that shows your hope is in money. If you are worried about people’s behavior, your hope is in people. Our hope should be in Jesus Christ and nothing else. 

Martha let preparing a meal distract her from Jesus’ presence and teaching in her house. Mary had found what Jesus called the only necessary thing: sitting at His feet and learning from Him. Begin each day doing the only thing worth being concerned about. Sit at His feet, learn from His Word, and do away with all distractions.

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

—Redeemed