Perhaps, the most astounding words Jesus ever spoke in the Scripture are found in Luke 10:42. Martha, the sister of Mary and Lazarus, is busy as a bee serving Jesus. Her sister Mary, however, is just sitting at Jesus’ feet and listening to His words. When Martha complains that Mary is not helping her with all that needs to be done, Jesus says to Martha, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about too many things†(v.41). Then, Christ commends Mary rather than chastens her for choosing to sit at His feet and commune with Him. According to Jesus, Mary had chosen “the one thing needed.†Did you get that? The only thing we need in life is to live our lives in communion with Christ!
All we need to do in this life is what Mary did, namely, live our lives in communion with Christ. Everything else in life flows from this, including our service of Christ. Contrary to popular opinion, our relationship with Christ does not result from our service of Christ, but our service of Christ results from our relationship with Christ.
It is only those who stay at Jesus’ feet who will know what service Jesus needs rendered. For instance, in John 12:1-9, we are told how Mary anointed Jesus for His burial. Although Martha was still busy as a bee in the service of Christ (v. 2), it was only her sister Mary who knew what Jesus really needed. How did Mary know? She knew because she had been at His feet. Only those who live at the Master’s feet will know how to perform the ministry that most magnifies the Master!
All the advice you will ever need to live the rest of your Christian life is found in the last recorded words in Scripture of another Mary. In John 2:5, Mary, the mother of Jesus, says to the servants at the wedding in Cana of Galilee, “Whatever He says, do it.†If you will spend the rest of your Christian life at the Savior’s feet and only get up to do what He tells you to do, you will do all that you need to do.
Permit me to point out that Jesus also said that what Mary had chosen would never be taken away from her (Luke 10:42). Think about it; the one thing in this life that can never be taken away from you is your relationship with Jesus Christ. Whereas you can lose everything else, you can never lose this. It will last forever! So just how important is it for you to focus in this fleeting life on the one for sure and forever thing you possess?