Mary and Martha

Artist: Minerva Teickert

Every time I turn on my computer, this beautiful painting of Mary, Martha and Jesus appears on the screen. This image serves as a daily reminder of who I want to be and the choices I want to make. 

I love how Martha is busy working while turned towards the Savior and how Mary is focused on Christ but still nearby to help her sister. In a world full of responsibilities and options, I appreciate what their story teaches us about balance in our lives.

Mary and Martha lived in Bethany, a small village about two miles from Jerusalem. They and their brother Lazarus were good friends of Jesus and often received Him in their home. On one occasion, Jesus arrived and Martha immediately busied herself with preparations for her guest. The scriptures tell us that Martha “was cumbered about much serving.” Mary on the other hand sat at the Savior’s feet, earnestly listening to His teachings. No doubt, Martha would have liked to have sat too but chose to express her love for the Savior by serving Him instead. 

I imagine Martha trying to do everything herself. Setting the table, chopping the herbs, stirring the stew, how could she get it all done and was it fair? She wanted everything to be perfect for Jesus but instead of achieving her goal she made everyone uncomfortable by lashing out in frustration “Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? Bid her therefore that she help me.”

This must have been an awkward moment for Mary who may have helped in the beginning but was now captivated by Jesus. Tenderly, the Master replied, “Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: “But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”

I don’t believe that the Lord was unsympathetic to Martha’s cause or dismissed the value of her service. I just think He was trying to get her to focus on what mattered most, the “good part”. He was there to tell them the “Good News” and she was missing it, His words, His teachings, His spirit, because of the STUFF that she had to do!

Like Mary, I want to sit and learn at the Savior’s feet, while like Martha, I need to figure out what’s for dinner. I don’t have lots of time. Like these two wonderful sisters, I have to choose between the spiritual and the temporal. To discern God's will in my life so that I can follow the Savior into the next.

In a world filled with distractions, the story of Mary and Martha can help us set our lives in order. Martha was anxious with preparing the meal. Martha was not a bad person. She was not involved in wicked or sinful activities. She was a good woman, and her only desire was to serve and please the Lord. But she got her priorities out of whack. Mary on the other hand had chosen the spiritual. She had made the better choice. She had chosen to listen to the words of Jesus – the spiritual bread which leads to eternal life which could never be taken away from her. 

I believe that the Lord wants us to be anxiously engaged in good causes and is happy when we are industrious but at the same time we cannot let these activities become more important than our spiritual growth. We cannot let the temporal things of this world rob us of the eternal blessings that await us.

When I was a child, I watched the “Jetsons” cartoon show. I dreamed of a world of technology and robots like “Rosey” who would do all of my work for me. However, now that I have a personal computer, cell phone, fax machine, and a fast moving vehicle, my life is busier than ever. In fact busyness threatens to take over my life. I know that if I am to be more like Mary, I must spend time with the Lord each day in prayer, scripture study and obey His command, "Be still, and know that I am God". (Psalm 46:10) 

Somewhere between Mary and Martha I am striving to find me, a productive person, serving others, but most of all, obeying the Lord's will. I have a testimony that if we take the time to sit at the Savior's feet each day, we will find peace and direction. The word of God and the power of His spirit will teach us how to balance our chaotic lives and be truly happy. Most importantly, we will choose the Good Part, which shall never be taken away. 

The Woman with the Issue of Blood

 If only she could reach him. For she knew He had the power of God. Jesus had already healed so many and she was certain that He could cure her too.  But the crowd was so great and pressing upon him that she just couldn’t get near. She prayed with all of her heart. “Please God, just let me get close enough to touch him.  If you do, I have the faith that He can make me whole again.”

For twelve years she suffered from an issue of blood. Strictly speaking, she should have not even come that day. According to the laws of ritual purity, women who were experiencing their monthly cycle should stay at home. It was a time out for them, when they were relieved of their normal duties like drawing water from a well, going to the market place or serving dinner to their family. (see Leviticus 15:19-31). This worked for healthy women who were confined once a month but she was bleeding every day of her life! It was not acceptable for her to mix in public, worship at the temple or even to be held in the arms of her husband. According to the Mosaic Law, she was considered unclean, impure and untouchable.

In these years of shame and pain she had gone from physician to physician seeking help.

Each time new hope rising within her but in the end she had wasted all of her money and was physically worse off than before. Perhaps just as significantly, she was mentally spent. Her mind had been plagued with worry and despair. She was frustrated, disappointed and she could not be at peace when her future was so uncertain.

Encouraged by her faith, she had fought her way through the crowd that day until she could finally reach Jesus. Approaching Him from behind, she touched His robe; “For she said, if I touch but his clothes I shall be whole.” She immediately felt His healing energy go through her body and knew that she had been made well. Having accomplished her heart’s desire, she tried to escape back into the crowd. But Jesus also sensed that virtue had gone from Him, for He turned and said “Who touched me?

 Seeing that she could not go unnoticed, she came forward trembling and fell at His feet. In the presence of all the people, she told Him her story of suffering, why she had touched Him and how she had been instantly healed. Then He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.'" What triumphant words for a woman who had suffered for twelve years!

I love this beautiful story and this woman of great faith. In fact her example challenges me to develop my own faith more fully. When she went to see the Savior that day, she completely expected to be healed. She was determined, unwavering and resolute.

Her story makes me evaluate my own relationship with Jesus Christ. When I come to Him with my “issues”, do I fully expect for something to happen? Or do I just think He is there listening and will eventually get around to my problems when He can?

This story teaches me that our Lord does care about us individually and knows our deepest concerns. Even though many others were calling out to Him that day, He stopped and acknowledged this woman. If fact, He called her “Daughter” so that she understood, she was a member of His family.  

This woman represents all of us who are sick with sin and or burdened by the cares of the world. We can follow her example and come to the Savior too. For He has said, “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.” And He promises us, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”

Jesus Christ has the power to heal all manner of illness, whether spiritual or physical. Through His Atonement we can be forgiven of our sins and have peace in our lives. Like the woman in this story we can be whole and happy again. If we just reach out to touch Him and believe.


http://lds.org/scriptures/nt/mark/5?lang=eng - Find this story in the Bible

The Woman of Samaria

 She came to the well at midday, perhaps to avoid the gossipy women who usually gathered there each morning. Her life had not been easy. She already had five different husbands and was now living with a man who she never married. Whatever the reasons were for these failed relationships, she must have suffered a great deal of hardship. She may have longed for a different life but thought it was just too late or difficult to change. However, her life did transform that day. When a stranger, a man named Jesus saw her at the well and asked “Give me to drink?”

By the rules of hospitality, she should have responded to this thirsty traveler and let him drink from her water pot. But He was a Jew!  She was surprised and perhaps speechless at first. Why would a Jewish man speak to a Samaritan who was considered to be his enemy? Jews always avoided Samaritans because they were a mixed race, unclean and beneath them. The Samaritans in return disliked the Jews who treated them with disdain and rejected their common Israelite ancestry.  To disregard this adversarial connection was ‘Asur” or forbidden.

More significantly, why would this outsider dare speak to her? Jewish custom discouraged men from speaking with women who were not accompanied by their husbands or fathers. One saying of the Jewish law went like this “Let no one talk with a woman in the street, no, not with his own wife.” Yet, Jesus saw the value in her that she likely did not see in herself. He disregarded tradition and prejudices. He knew her only as a daughter of God and wanted her to know His true identity too.

Jesus then said to her, “if thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of Him, and he would given thee living water. “ The woman reminded Him that He had no cord or bucket to draw water from the deep well and perhaps sarcastically added, “Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us this well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle?”


Jesus answered, “Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thrist again; But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.”

His words intrigued her because each day required the hard task of carrying heavy water to and from the well. She was no longer young.  Her body like her spirit must have been somewhat worn out. The very thought of an ever flowing supply of water pleased her.  As she contemplated this and continued to stand in the presence of our Lord, a change came over her. She began to recognize His eternal truths and to receive a glimpse of what this living water might be. With a great longing in her heart to know more about it she said “give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw.”

 Jesus seized this opportunity to teach and told her to go get her husband. She informed Him that she had no husband. Knowing this already, He said “For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband.” I wonder if his statement stung her or if she felt his love and concern? Regardless, she received his words with humility. His ultimate knowledge about her life convinced her that he was a prophet.

Christ went on to teach her more. Perhaps she did not understand everything He said or needed a polite way to end the conversation by finally saying, oh well “I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ; when he is come, he will tell us all things.” Jesus then unequivocally pronounced, “I that speak unto thee am he.”He said it and she believed it. The Messiah had come! Not just to the Jews but he had come for everyone. And to her, an outcast woman, who others believed to be of little worth.

One can only speculate as to why the Messiah would choose to reveal himself to someone like her.  I believe that he looked upon her heart that day and knew she hungered for truth. Her life to this point had been hopeless and he was the fulfillment of her very hope. 

Hurriedly, she left her waterpot and went into the village to tell everyone about the man, “which told me all things that ever I did, is not this the Christ?” Because of her testimony many believed and heard for themselves, exclaiming “this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world. “

I believe this story is exceptionally important to women because it shows the value that Jesus Christ placed on women and their discipleship. The length and depth of the conversation is significant and the beginning of the revolutionary way He involved women in His ministry. 

More importantly this story invites each of us to partake of the living waters by accepting Jesus Christ as our Savior. Like the Samaritan woman, we too can have this precious opportunity. We may feel undeserving or inadequate, but the Savior knows who we truly are. Also like her, we must be willing to change our lives and except Christ’s admonitions with humility. We can discover His authenticity through scripture study and personal prayer, knowing for ourselves that He is indeed the Messiah! This is my prayer for each of you. Whoever you are reading this.

May God Bless and Keep you. And may you drink of his eternal truths this day.

Patty

http://lds.org/scriptures/nt/john/4?lang=eng  The story of the Samaritan woman in John 4

Mary, Did You Know?

Mary the Mother of the Savior

Her name was Mary and she was chosen by God to bear His only begotten Son. She was humble, faithful, courageous and a true disciple of Christ.  But most of all she was real. She did breath, hurt, hope and love like all of us. I envision Mary holding her newborn son for the very first time, crying with elation, gratitude and relief all at once. Did her heart rejoice knowing who her son was and what He was to become? Did she comprehend His mission and the sacrifice that He alone would perform?  Did she understand how wonderful she was and how much she would be revered and loved? Certainly, she was one of the noblest and greatest of all the spirit children of our Father in Heaven.

The Christmas story from the gospel of Luke.
http://lds.org/scriptures/nt/luke/2?lang=eng 

As the mother of Jesus Christ, Mary stands apart from all women in history.  Not only was she chosen to be the mother of the Messiah but she was to raise the only perfect man to walk on earth.  Mary was a young poor girl from Nazareth betrothed to an ordinary carpenter. These facts made her unsuitable in the eyes of her people. How could such a common girl be the chosen one? Yet, the angle Gabriel visited her and told her that she was “Highly Favored by God”. Even with God's favor, Mary would still suffer much. Though she would one day be highly honored as the mother of the Savior, she would first know disgrace as an unwed mother. She would nearly lose her fiancé. Her beloved son would be rejected and cruelly murdered. Mary's submission to God's plan would cost her dearly, yet she was willing to be God's servant.

God knew that Mary was a woman of rare strength and obedience. She was the only human being to be with Jesus throughout his entire life, from his birth until his death. She gave life to him as her child and watched him die as her Savior. Mary also knew the Scriptures. When the angel appeared and told her that her child would be God's Son, Mary replied, "Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it unto me according to thy word." (Luke 1:38). She knew of the Old Testament prophesies about the coming Messiah.

God looked upon the quality of her trust and obedience. He knew she would willingly serve God in one of the most important callings ever given to a human being. Just like Mary, God looks at our obedience and trust, usually not the qualifications that man might look upon. God will often choose and use the most unlikely of choices.

Some mistakenly cast Mary as the “Mother of God”. She was indeed the mother of Jesus, the Son of God. However, God the Son existed from eternity. Mary was the source of Jesus’ human nature. Even so it is appropriate that we honor Mary and the faith that she displayed throughout her life.

This Christmas, as I celebrate the birth of Christ, I celebrate Mary too.  I am so grateful for this wonderful woman and her ability to fulfill her role as the mother of our Savior.  My heart is full of love for her and I marvel and thank her for her example and gift to the world.

Merry Christmas Everyone.  May the true meaning of Christmas fill your heart and home. God Bless, Patty

Elizabeth

    Do you every feel like God does not hear your prayers? Are there times in your life when you ask, “Where are you, Heavenly Father?” “Are you really listening? Elizabeth the wife of the priest Zacharias was a woman whose prayers were unanswered for many years. However, she was a woman of great spiritual maturity whose decades of deep disappointment strengthened her instead of destroying her faith. She taught us to trust in God and to wait. As we can be sure that God’s answer will come and in a way that we never imagined!
  
    Like her husband Zacharias, Elizabeth came from a line of priestly families, the same priestly line that the Messiah would come from. Luke took great care to describe that she and her husband were “both righteous before God, walking in all commandments of the Lord, blameless”. This description teaches us the first thing we need to know about having our prayers answered. Elizabeth and Zacharias were not said to be sinless or perfect but that they kept the commandments and had true hearts dedicated to the Lord. 

    Elizabeth “had no child, was barren, stricken in years” and must have yearned deeply for a baby of her own. I imagine her fasting and praying with great supplication. Sometimes even begging for peace and inspiration to follow God’s will. Despite her disappointment, she relied on God’s love and continued to celebrate his blessings.

   On one such occasion, her husband was chosen to participate in the temple ordinances. What pride she must have felt as this important responsibility came upon him. While Zacharias was in the temple he was visited by the angel Gabriel who told him that Elizabeth would soon bear a son “who would be great in the site of the Lord”. In fact, Elizabeth was selected by God to give birth to John the Baptist who would prepare the way for the Messiah. John would also become a powerful missionary and Jesus would call him the greatest of all the prophets.

    Zacharias was overcome with this news and found it too hard to believe, even coming from a heavenly messenger. Because of his lack of faith, he lost his ability to speak. Elizabeth however, believed in miracles and soon became pregnant, praising God for taking away her “reproach” or barrenness. 

     In Elizabeth’s sixth month of pregnancy she was visited by her cousin Mary. Elizabeth was given divine revelation to know that Mary was also with child. When the two women met, Elizabeth’s unborn baby responded by suddenly moving and kicking in her womb. Elizabeth was filled with the spirit and in a moment of penetrating clarity pronounced a blessing upon Mary.

“Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that thee would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.” 

    First of all, I love that Mary would come to her. Mary a pregnant teenager, with more hopes and fears in her heart than we can imagine. Her older cousin must have been kind, understanding and capable of good advice.  At just the sight of her, Elizabeth’s blessing gave Mary the confirmation, courage and peace that she was searching for.  Elizabeth realized that Mary had been chosen to give birth to the Messiah and she rejoiced in it. What comfort her words must have given to Mary. Over the next three months, Elizabeth would continue to encourage and help Mary prepare for her Mission. The birth and miracle of Elizabeth’s son would also teach Mary that “With God, nothing shall be impossible.”

    
    At a time when Elizabeth was settling down to a quiet old age, her life took an unexpected turn. She became pregnant and bore the son she had always hoped for. And God had answered her prayer at the most opportune time. Not only would her son assist with the coming of the Messiah but she would assist Christ’s mother for his coming too.

    
    Elizabeth story teaches us that answers will come from God. They will come in a way and in a time that will be most enjoyed and for our benefit. I learn from her that, prayers are worth waiting for.

Have you heard the one about Jesus and the Mother-in-law?

Mother-in-laws often get a bad rap. There are so many bad jokes and stories about them. It’s almost like their doomed - -constantly accused of being meddlesome, manipulative, and opinionated.  I love my mother-in-law. She is kind, loving and supportive. Plus, she makes the best brownies ever! Mother-in-laws can be a tremendous example and blessing to their extended families. The account of Peter’s mother-in-law is about one such faithful woman and a story worth telling.

  

After worshipping God in the synagogue one day, Jesus, Peter, Andrew, James, and John went to Peter's home to relax and eat. When they arrived, Peter's wife's mother was bedridden with a fever. Dr. Luke, using medical terms, tells us that she had a “high” fever. (Luke 4:38) This implies that the fever was very serious and perhaps even life-threatening. When the Savior heard about her condition,” he came and took her by the hand, and lifted her up; and immediately the fever left her, and she ministered unto them. (Mark 1:31)  

Jesus healed many people but with this particular healing, something unique happened. Quite often, after being healed, people left Jesus to go about their renewed lives. Peter's mother-in-law, however, immediately rose and began to minister to them. The Greek word for ‘minister’ can also mean to ‘serve’. Peter’s mother-in-law teaches us that if we are truly grateful to the Lord then we will not just thank him but we will serve him. 

And her service did not stop there. Peter’s home immediately became available to Jesus and his disciples whenever they stayed in Capernaum. Mark tells us the “whole city” gathered at Peter’s door (Mark 1:33). Late into the night miracle after miracle took place. It is likely that Peter’s mother-in-law was a widow and lived in his home. I imagine that she must have done a lot of cooking and cleaning during those times. Quietly serving the Master, while she herself feasted on His words

 

I think about all of the times that Peter was away from his family serving the Lord. Did they suffer from the loss of Peter’s financial income? Were they afraid of persecution because they were intimate with Jesus and his disciples? Were they worried that Peter himself would never come home? This wonderful lady must have been a tremendous support to Peter’s family. Her faith, testimony and witness of Christ’s mission surely must have given them great courage. 

I am grateful God chose to give us two Mother’s. The one that gives us life and the one that helps us understand life from a new perspective. We may not always agree with our mother-in-law but I believe that most act out of love. Like Peter’s mother-in-law, they can teach us and bless us. Sometimes it’s hard for adult children to open their hearts and lives to suggestions and help from their parents. But this story teaches us that a mother-in-law’s life experience, discernment and undying love for her family can be invaluable. So here’s to Mother-in-laws everywhere and to my own whom I am truly thankful for. 

Church over the house where Peter's mother-in-law was said to live -Capernaum Israel