We all know there is a difference between wanting to do something and doing the thing that you want to do. Only one of those scenarios involves action. As we are talking about prioritizing our relationship with God, I am confident that all of us want to make Him a priority. The challenge for each one of us is taking steps to make Him a priority. One of the ways we can focus on prioritizing Him is by looking at the things that keep us from prioritizing Him daily. At the top of the list for many of us who keep us from making our relationship with Him a priority are distractions. While we want to prioritize God daily, we often find ourselves so distracted by other people, responsibilities, or forms of entertainment like social media or our favorite television shows that we lose track of time and never make time for what matters most: time every day with our Heavenly Father.
This week, we are studying the story of two sisters, Mary and Martha, found in Luke 10. Our focus this week is on the two different responses of these two women to Jesus. In this chapter, Martha invited Jesus and His disciples into her home, and her sister Mary was there as well. That evening, Mary sat at Jesus’ feet and learned from Him, but Martha was distracted. Specifically, she was distracted by the big dinner that she was trying to serve Jesus. In her distraction, she missed out on the most important thing: being with Jesus. Mary chose to focus on Christ over everything else, and as a result, she experienced the benefits of learning from Him and being with Him.
It is easy to judge Martha and wonder how she could miss out on being with Jesus and learning from Him like Mary did, but we have all been there, right? Maybe we were not trying to prepare a big dinner, but perhaps we were distracted by our to-do lists, inboxes, cell phones, and more. We have all missed out on time with Jesus because we have let distractions keep us from taking time to be with Him. The good news is that He is ready and waiting for us to step away from what is distracting us and turn to Him.
The writer of Hebrews 12 entreats us to look to God instead of all of the distractions around us. He says, “Let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us” (verse 1). Next, he tells us exactly how to do this, saying, “We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith” (verse 2). How do we let go of distractions? We look to Jesus. When we look to Him, we are not looking at or focusing on all of the distractions around us. We are simply focusing our hearts and minds on Him. May each one of us, like Mary, choose to focus on, look to, and learn from Him in a world filled with so many distractions. He is the only One worthy of our attention and affection.
Take time to identify what is keeping you distracted. If you need help discerning what is distracting you, look at what takes up most of your time. When you have identified your distraction, bring it to God. Confess to Him what is keeping you distracted, and commit to letting go of that distraction. Later today, reach out to a trusted friend and ask them to help you take the steps you need to take to let go of the thing that is distracting you from prioritizing your relationship with God.
1Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. 2 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. 3 Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up. 4 After all, you have not yet given your lives in your struggle against sin.
5 And have you forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you as his children? He said,
“My child, don’t make light of the Lord’s discipline,
and don’t give up when he corrects you.
6 For the Lord disciplines those he loves,
and he punishes each one he accepts as his child.”
7 As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own children. Who ever heard of a child who is never disciplined by its father? 8 If God doesn’t discipline you as he does all of his children, it means that you are illegitimate and are not really his children at all. 9 Since we respected our earthly fathers who disciplined us, shouldn’t we submit even more to the discipline of the Father of our spirits, and live forever?
10 For our earthly fathers disciplined us for a few years, doing the best they knew how. But God’s discipline is always good for us, so that we might share in his holiness. 11 No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.
12 So take a new grip with your tired hands and strengthen your weak knees. 13 Mark out a straight path for your feet so that those who are weak and lame will not fall but become strong.
14 Work at living in peace with everyone, and work at living a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord. 15 Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many. 16 Make sure that no one is immoral or godless like Esau, who traded his birthright as the firstborn son for a single meal. 17 You know that afterward, when he wanted his father’s blessing, he was rejected. It was too late for repentance, even though he begged with bitter tears.
18 You have not come to a physical mountain, to a place of flaming fire, darkness, gloom, and whirlwind, as the Israelites did at Mount Sinai. 19 For they heard an awesome trumpet blast and a voice so terrible that they begged God to stop speaking. 20 They staggered back under God’s command: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned to death.” 21 Moses himself was so frightened at the sight that he said, “I am terrified and trembling.”
22 No, you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to countless thousands of angels in a joyful gathering. 23 You have come to the assembly of God’s firstborn children, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God himself, who is the judge over all things. You have come to the spirits of the righteous ones in heaven who have now been made perfect. 24 You have come to Jesus, the one who mediates the new covenant between God and people, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks of forgiveness instead of crying out for vengeance like the blood of Abel.
25 Be careful that you do not refuse to listen to the One who is speaking. For if the people of Israel did not escape when they refused to listen to Moses, the earthly messenger, we will certainly not escape if we reject the One who speaks to us from heaven! 26 When God spoke from Mount Sinai his voice shook the earth, but now he makes another promise: “Once again I will shake not only the earth but the heavens also.” 27 This means that all of creation will be shaken and removed, so that only unshakable things will remain.
28 Since we are receiving a Kingdom that is unshakable, let us be thankful and please God by worshiping him with holy fear and awe. 29 For our God is a devouring fire.
