Choosing the Better Portion - Your Nightly Prayer - July 7th

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Choosing the Better Portion
Your Nightly Prayer
By Candice Lucey

TONIGHT'S SCRIPTURE

“But one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.” - Luke 10:42

SOMETHING TO PONDER

Some people struggle to carve out time to meet casually with friends. They may say they are busy working for Christ, but they miss communion with Christ through communion with others. Their spiritual lives suffer as they refuse to be shepherded, to hear the truth from wise personal mentors, mentor others (though their well would be dry anyway), and to be prayed over. They go spiritually hungry, often with an air of long-suffering as though they are powerless to choose any other way of life, because their identity is wrapped up in a to-do list.

Mary recognized that the most important work is to sit at Christ’s feet and be fed. Today, one of the ways we do that is by meeting with other believers to be stirred up and encouraged and to do likewise for them. (Hebrews 10:24-25; 1Thessalonians 5:11). As he fills and teaches us, we learn how to give from a heart that is overflowing. Then we serve Christ from a posture of humility and with a full heart, and we do not resent the work.

Martha was a busy servant in her own way, but Mary served her Lord from her heart. “Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair.” (John 12:3) We do not know if she heard the words quoted in John 15, but she certainly understood what it meant to abide in Christ. Mary chose to experience Jesus personally, the aspect of a saving faith which makes it so different from a “good life” lived apart from him.

YOUR NIGHTLY PRAYER

Our Father,
Thank you for the example of Mary. Thank you for reminding me that I do not have to run around all the time, exhausted, to earn your love as though it COULD be earned. Praise you, Lord, for the call to come and rest, to abide in your Son Jesus Christ; to find my portion there and not in my own efforts. Help me to soak up that rest as something I cannot lose even in busyness, so that I can serve you and serve others well. Remind me when I am tired to be replenished at the feet of Jesus.
Amen.

THREE THINGS TO MEDITATE UPON

Service is good; however, grumbling servants betray a heart that craves acknowledgment and praise. Service to others in the name of Jesus, however, is joyful and humble. A resentful or proud heart is the signal to rethink a busy schedule and reset.
Hard work does not save anyone. Even non-believers can toil happily, humbly, and tirelessly for others. But Christians work hard because they want to serve their Savior - not to be saved. Christ said, “Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.” (Matthew 25:40)
There are times when resting is inappropriate. We are able to discern those times after sitting at the feet of Jesus (attending church, reading the Bible, praying alone, praying with others) and getting to know him better. This is the starting place from which faithful service emanates, and from which believers come to recognize good teaching from false teaching.

Reflect on tonight’s prayer and share how God met you there. Join the Your Nightly Prayer discussion on the Crosswalk Forum.

Photo Credit: © Unsplash/Jared Murray

Candice Lucey is a freelance writer from British Columbia, Canada, where she lives with her family. Find out more about her here.

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