Fretting and Fussing

The Lord answered, “Martha, Martha, you are fretting and fussing about so many things; but one thing is necessary. The part that Mary has chosen is best; and it shall not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:41, 42, N.E.B.
As Christ gave His wonderful lessons, Mary sat at His feet, a reverent and devoted listener. On one occasion, Martha, perplexed with the care of preparing the meal, went to Christ, saying, “Lord, dost Thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.” This was the time of Christ’s first visit to Bethany. The Saviour and His disciples had just made the toilsome journey on foot from Jericho. Martha was anxious to provide for their comfort, and in her anxiety she forgot the courtesy due to her Guest….
The “one thing” that Martha needed was a calm, devotional spirit, a deeper anxiety for knowledge concerning the future, immortal life, and the graces necessary for spiritual advancement. She needed less anxiety for the things which pass away, and more for those things which endure forever. Jesus would teach His children to seize every opportunity of gaining that knowledge which will make them wise unto salvation. The cause of Christ needs careful, energetic workers. There is a wide field for the Marthas, with their zeal in active religious work. But let them first sit with Mary at the feet of Jesus. Let diligence, promptness, and energy be sanctified by the grace of Christ; then the life will be an unconquerable power for good.
The reason why the youth, and even those of mature years, are so easily led into temptation and sin, is that they do not study the word of God and meditate upon it as they should. The lack of firm, decided will power, which is manifest in life and character, results from neglect of the sacred instruction of God’s word. They do not by earnest effort direct the mind to that which would inspire pure, holy thought and divert it from that which is impure and untrue. There are few who choose the better part, who sit at the feet of Jesus, as did Mary, to learn of the divine Teacher. Few treasure His words in the heart and practice them in the life.
Conflict and Courage p. 304
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Prayer Requests
—–Please pray for John and Carolyn who were in a serious car accident. Carolyn is in the ICU with 6 broken ribs, a broken sternum, and a broken arm. Jennifer
—–Please pray for a quick and fair sale of our house. The necessary repairs have already been expensive and starting next month we will have to pay two mortgages. Our realtor thinks we’re making a mistake by not allowing any showings or other work to be done on Sabbath, so may the Lord defend His name and provide a powerful testimony for her. Chelsea
—–Please keep me in prayer as I write my paper on the ethics of women’s ordination. I am struggling to get the time to write and I need clarity of mind to get it done on time. Esther
—–Soliciting prayers for a dear academy friend who had surgery yesterday for kidney cancer, stage 3. Surgery was successful, prayers for full and quick recovery would be appreciated. Jeanie
—–Please pray for our friend Gail she has difficulty seeing out of an eye and has been receiving shots in her eye to correct her vision, she is requiring more treatments and if they do not work she could loose more of her vision and ultimately loose all vision from that eye. Thanks. Robert
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dear Friends,
When we had to downsize into a smaller place, I had to get rid of boxes of rocks. It was really hard to do. As I looked at them one last time, I thought of the many times the children and I filled our pockets with whatever rocks caught our eye. The rock did not have to be valuable. If it looked pretty to us, that was all that mattered. We would fill every pocket and sometimes Ron’s pockets as well.
One day many years ago, my friend Darlene went walking with us. She was much more knowledgeable in natural things than we could ever hope to be. The places she normally went hiking yielded beautiful and valuable specimens—garnets, agates, geodes, etc. There were none of those items on this walk, however.
As one of the children picked up a pretty stone, and asked her what kind it was, Darlene said, “That’s a leaverite.” They were excited. Imagine finding a leaverite right there on the trail. Then she laughed and said, “Yup, leave ‘er right there!” We all laughed at her funny joke.
How often we spend our life collecting the “leaverites” of this world. Our whole focus becomes centered upon the worthless objects this old world has to offer and we spend our “three score and ten” pursuing them. Our life becomes one of futility. The more we get, the more we want. We have taken our eyes off from the true goal.
Though a rich man, the things of this world were not Abaraham’s focus. Paul tells us, “By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed, and he went out, not knowing whither he went. By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.” Heb 11:8-10 So should also have Heaven as our goal.
Jesus warns us, “Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater, and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years, take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God. And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, neither for the body, what ye shall put on….neither be ye of doubtful mind…. But rather seek ye the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added unto you.” Luke 12:15-31″
This must be our focus: this must be our goal. Nothing is more important than our standing with God. Nothing is of more value than the salvation He so freely offers. John admonishes us, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.” 1 John 2:15-17
Let us be diligent to make our “calling and election sure.” <2 Peter 1:10> Let us, as did Paul, “press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.” Eccl, 12:13,14
Rose