make the choice and do what you can

I think this might be my new anthem for this season of life - which may be quite long if God continues to bless us with children :) Yesterday, as part of my sabbath, I relistened to the message I mentioned a few days ago and it has just been so encouraging. I've read the passage about Mary and Martha so many times, but it really hit home this time and Betsy Ricucci spent some time specifically focusing on the fact that Mary chose the good portion by sitting at the feet of Jesus. What a great reminder. No matter what our time looks like in different stages, we must make the choice to sit at His feet and He will bless us with his teaching and guidance.

Luke 10:38-42
38 Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. 39 And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching. 40 But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” 41 But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, 42 but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”

I also looked up the article that was mentioned in the message called, "Do What You Can" by Donald Whitney. Also a great reminder that the way we sit at the feet of Jesus will continue to look different as the circumstances in our lives change. For most of you that's not being a mom and dealing with small children, but it most certainly applies to those going to school and working, those adjusting to the new schedule and demands of a full-time job or student teaching, those planning a wedding etc. etc. This is going to make the post super long, but I'm including the full article (with some of my favorite parts highlighted) so there will be a better chance that you read it :)

Do What You Can by Donald Whitney

I admire Jean Fleming. She's been both a home and overseas missionary. She boldly and winsomely shares her faith, makes a priority of discipling other Christian women, and leads Bible studies. She actively supports her husband's full-time ministry, frequently opens her home for Christian hospitality, and serves in her local church. In her home and halfway across the country she's cared for both physically and mentally impaired relatives for long periods. The Flemings have raised three children and now enjoy their role as grandparents. Through it all Jean has written several books and articles.

She was converted in her late teens. Discipled well from the start, Jean thrived on a spiritual diet strong on disciplines like the reading, studying, and meditating on God's Word, prayer, fellowship, service, evangelism, worship, silence and solitude, journal-keeping, and Scripture memory. She felt herself making spiritual progress almost daily. All this continued after she married her equally-dedicated husband, Roger.

Then she had three children in diapers. Caring for their most basic needs eliminated almost every moment of the time she used to devote to caring for her soul. Her longings for the things of God reached as high as ever, but her time and energy had new and severe limits.

On at least three occasions I've eavesdropped as Jean addressed young moms in similar situations. In effect she's told them, "At this time in your life, you can't do what you're used to doing. You don't have time for all your heart desires to experience in your spiritual life. Nevertheless, do what you can do, even though it's precious little. Just don't deceive yourself by thinking that you can put off a devotional life until you have more time. Because when the years roll around and you finally do have more time, your spiritual habits will be so ingrained that you won't give more attention to your devotional life at all."

Then I heard Jean tell her own story. She would keep Bibles open in several rooms—in the kitchen, nursery, bathroom—and look at them when she could. While warming a bottle or changing a diaper, she'd glance over and perhaps read only one verse. But this discipline helped her keep the Word in her heart and the presence of God in her awareness. And as the children's needs grew less demanding, her disciplines were already in place to receive any additional time she could give them. Even though Jean felt almost spiritually dormant during those years in comparison to her early growth as a Christian, she kept alive the spiritual disciplines through which her soul would blossom in years to come.

Like Jean with three in diapers, you may be in a situation that curtails many of your spiritual activities. You may be looking at many months or even years of such limitations. Do what you can. God does not love us more when we do more, nor less when we do less. He accepts us, not because of what we do for Him, but because of what He's done for us in Christ.

The Bible says, "He made us accepted in the Beloved [that is, Jesus]" (Ephesians 1:6). And nothing "shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:39). Love God, and within the limitations He has sovereignly placed in your life at this time, do what you can.

From Donald S. Whitney, Simplify Your Spiritual Life (Colorado Springs, Colo.: NavPress, 2003).
Copyright © 2002, Donald S. Whitney. All rights reserved.