Jump directly to the Content

Mary Heart, Martha Brain

How can I focus on one thing—prayer—when so many things need to be done?

I used to picture myself as Mary, sitting in my living room and listening to my guest's heart-aches while Martha mashed potatoes in the kitchen. I always choose Mary's stillness over Martha's work, I thought.

I was wrong.

I left home early one Sunday morning to prepare my heart for worship and preaching. I entered the empty sanctuary, sat in the quiet, and tried to focus on Christ. The minutes ticked by and I remembered I hadn't plugged in the coffeepot.

That can wait, I told myself, and I directed my thoughts back to Jesus.

Another minute passed. Then I wondered, Are the transparencies for the overhead projector ready? And what about the banner—did anyone remember to change it? And someone really ought to plug in that coffeepot.

Reality struck. I was Martha—concerned about many things, and not about the one thing that was truly needed.

I had written a book on spiritual disciplines and was serving as the prayer editor of my denomination's magazine, but after my Sunday morning frenzy, ...

March
Support Our Work

Subscribe to CT for less than $4.25/month

Homepage Subscription Panel

Read These Next

Related
Beware The Prayer Simplifiers
Beware The Prayer Simplifiers
Church leaders can't diminish the complexities of prayer; they can only be companions to those engaged in its difficulty.
From the Magazine
I Hated ‘Church People.’ But I Knew I Needed Them.
I Hated ‘Church People.’ But I Knew I Needed Them.
As I attended my second funeral in three weeks, two Christians showed me a kindness I couldn’t explain.
Editor's Pick
What Christians Miss When They Dismiss Imagination
What Christians Miss When They Dismiss Imagination
Understanding God and our world needs more than bare reason and experience.
close