Take Time

“Calling all Martha’s take time to sit at His feet today.” (Anonymous)

NOTE: This is a fictional retelling of a Bible story. See the footnote at the bottom of the narrative for the scripture passage that inspired this modern version of the biblical account.

Siblings Larry Graves, Marty Workman, and Madelyn Bethune had lived together since their spouses had died. Ten years ago, Larry’s wife, Myrna, had died of lung cancer from her many years as a smoker. Marty’s husband, Lourdes, died five years ago from Leukemia. Last in the group was Madelyn’s husband, Jesus (pronounced Hesus), who died two years ago of a brain aneurism.

All of the sibling’s kids and grandkids loved having their parent, aunts, uncle, and grandparents all in one house. It makes the holidays and visiting in general so much easier and convenient. Being each other’s best friends was a wonderful gift for them all year-round.

Today after the Sunday morning service was a special time for the senior citizen siblings. Their cooking deficient pastor, Rev. Jessie Cristos, was coming over for lunch since his wife and children were visiting his in-laws family in Texas.

Marty had planned a menu full of her pastor’s favorite foods that his wife had told her about last week. Soon the morning service came to an end, and Jessie, Larry, and Madelyn were all relaxing and chatting in the family room as far as Marty could see from her cooking post in the kitchen.

In a matter of seconds, Marty’s carefully planned meal started going up in smoke like some burnt sacrifice. In complete desperation, Marty called out for her sister’s assistance. She wasn’t doing anything besides talking with Rev. Jessie anyway. Soon, the guest of the house began to speak. 

“Marty, Marty, you are worried and upset about so many things in the kitchen. What you are doing is important. Madelyn and Larry have chosen to spend time with me. I wish you would stop all the fuss, and come over here to listen to me.” [i]

In a split decision, Marty decided to chuck the lunch she’d planned and serve sandwiches with last night’s lunch meat, raw vegetables and dip as well as the bag of sour cream and onion potato chips in the pantry. There was sweet tea to drink, and the dessert had not been ruined as it chilled in the efficiently in the refrigerator. 

Marty was tired over trying to micromanaging everything in her world. It was way past time to start enjoying the important people in her life by being her imperfect self.  She smiled as she walked into the family room. Marty realized no one was r too old to learn something new.[ii]

 Dear God, I've tried my best and I feel disheartened, but if today I lose my hope.
Please help me understand that your plans for me are better than all my dreams.” (Anonymous)

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[i] “Martha Loved Him Too” by Elwood McQuaid

We’ve been too hard on Martha because of that rebuff.

I think somewhere we feel she didn’t love her Lord enough.

No, quite to the contrary, 

Martha’s love was such that in her eagerness to serve,   

s he tried to do too much.

There’s a time for serving,

and there’s a time for rest,

Everything thing in season;

choosing what is best.

That hour had it’s good part

in sitting at His feet.

Taking in the blessed Word,

which is our bread and meat

Things must stay in balance

So let us pray from youth;

“God, give me Martha’s diligence,

And Mary’s love for truth.”

 

[ii] Adapted from: All for One: The Towns of Ohio Completer Trilogy by Robert Kinker,  Book One: Chapter Thirteen ”Unable to Do It All” and Luke 10:38-42