Have you seen a picture of a peaceful, faraway place that you like to imagine escaping to? Maybe it was a picture of a lounge chair on a pristine beach with a tall glass of lemonade beckoning you. Perhaps it was a hammock under some shade trees with majestic mountains mirrored in a clear blue lake in the background. Whatever haven you like to dream of escaping to, there is one place even more wonderful that you can retreat to on any day without any cost. It is a place where you can release all the worries on your mind and be truly rejuvenated in every way. Do you know this place? Has it been a long time since you spent time there?
We’ve had quite a busy week. Between going to work at the office, preparing for guests’ arrivals, cleaning the house, trimming the yard, shopping for groceries, checking emails, filing taxes, etc. I have scarcely found the time to sit down and spend time reading my Bible or praying. I fall into bed exhausted each night and rue the ringing of my alarm at 5:45 am. Sometimes I can’t remember if I am coming or going. Psalm 39:6-7 says,
“Surely every man walks about like a shadow; surely they busy themselves in vain; He heaps up riches, and does not know who will gather them. And now, Lord, what do I wait for? My hope is in You.”
Do you feel like you are caught in the rat race? Scurrying here and there and trying to do this and that all the time? Overwhelmed by all the things on your plate that are screaming for attention? And for what? I call this “Martha Syndrome” (an ailment I know all too well). While Martha was busy in the kitchen and distracted with serving guests, her sister, Mary, only wanted to sit at Jesus’ feet.
“And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:41-42)
The Lord has called us to something greater—to sit at His feet and drink in His Word. He knows what you need. And He knows that the works you are doing are good, but the one most important priority of your day should be the time you spend with Him. In these moments the Lord speaks to you about everything you are worried about in your agenda. These are the times that the Lord can work on things in your heart or heal a hurt in your spirit. It is during the time you come to the Lord that He can lift your burdens of worry and give you the rest that you need for your body, soul and spirit. And the blessing of that time spent with the Lord will not be taken away by all the acts of service that you can do for the remainder of the day. Yes, this is the haven I was referring to previously.
“Then they cry out to the Lord in their trouble, and He brings them out of their distresses. He calms the storm, so that its waves are still. Then they are glad because they are quiet; so He guides them to their desired haven.” (Psalm 107:28-30)
I encourage you to come to the quiet, peaceful place where the Lord is already waiting for you. Wait on the Lord! Put your hope in Him! Invest your time with Him and you will find that all these “things” you want to do will fall into their proper place. “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33)