Hurry, Scurry, Fret and Worry

A. Sarnoff

You are as much serving God in looking after your own children, training them up in God's fear, minding the house, and making your household a church for God as you would be if you had been called to lead an army to battle for the Lord of Hosts.  ~Charles Spurgeon

 

Martha and Mary

Martha was busy!  Mary was, too.

Jesus might visit before they were through!

“Swish, swish, sweep” went Martha’s broom.

As Martha went to work, her face showed gloom.

“Flap, flap, Flip” went the rugs Mary shook.

As Mary went to work with a cheerful look.

Soon Jesus came in the big front door.

Mary was quiet, while Martha worked more.

Hurry-scurry-fret-and-worry Martha rushed around.

Doing helpful things for Jesus, while peaceful Mary just sat down.

“Get up, Mary! Help me!” the frowning Martha said.

“If you don’t work and help me, we won’t get Jesus fed.”

Jesus looked at Martha with eyes that seemed quite sad.

“Martha, sit with Mary if you want to make Me glad!

“Work is important, too, and you will get it done.

But first take time to worship God – He is Number One!”

Then Martha saw the mistake she’d been making –

She’d only had time for cleaning and baking!

Jesus and Mary showed Martha the way.

To learn of the Lord before work each day.

(Week 16, Day 5, from ACE K manual.)

Jesus smiled tenderly and looked at Martha who was hot and sweaty and nervous and upset from running around the room. “Martha, Martha, you are so worried with running around and troubled about doing things.”

Martha looked embarrassed.  “But I want You to be pleased with me so I do many things.  I want to work and work and work for You, Jesus!”

Jesus smiled a big, wide open smile at Martha.  “Martha, you only need to do one thing right now.”

“What’s that?” Martha asked softly.

“You need to choose to spend time with Me, like Mary does,” Jesus replied.

“But the house! Who will get Your water and Your bread?  What about all the work I must do?”

Jesus looked at Martha with kindness.  “Martha.  People will eat up your loaves of bread.  Your water will soon be all used up, too.  Your clean house will get dirty again very soon.  The things you are so worried about are not as important as spending time with Me.”

Martha began to look very sad and a tear ran down her cheek. 

“Martha, no one can take away the things I tell you about God.  God’s love will never be used up!”

(This excerpt is from the Kindergarten manual for Accelerated Christian Education, Week 16, Day 4.  We loved ACE K so much that we did the stories twice – at age 4 & again at age 6.)

If you make time for reading, writing, and arithmetic, but not Bible reading, you’ve failed to teach what really matters.  The pilgrims were adamant at teaching reading for one reason only – to read the Bible.  Don’t neglect Bible reading!  Do you ignore food all day long?  Or do you need to eat?

If you keep a clean home, but haven’t taught your child about Christ, you’ve failed homemaking.  If you haven’t modeled Christian behavior and teachings, you aren’t living the Christian life.  If you don’t invite the Holy Spirit to live in your home, if you don’t teach your children God’s truths, if you don’t know Christian doctrine….then get busy and make some radical changes in your home life!  Only one life, ’twill soon be past.  Only what’s done for Christ will last.   ~C.T. Studd  I have this hanging above my desk to remind me to focus on what is really important.

I’ve already listed wonderful Bible story books on the Life - In Order post to share with your children.  Once you make time for deeper reading for yourself as well as what you teach them, you will find yourself growing by leaps and bounds. 

You may begin with 3-5 minutes, or a few verses, but that is really for someone who has been really resistant; it gets you kick-started.  Three to four chapters a day will find you going through the Bible within one year, and you will gain so much knowledge, and love.