PRESSING ON

Good morning, Happy week of Christmas! It’s hard to believe we are here already. For many, I’m sure this is such a busy time, though it may look a little different this year than it has in years past. In all the busyness this week (and every week for that matter) I pray you take time each day to really meditate on the incredible and glorious truth of Immanuel. Jesus humbled himself, left heaven to walk among us. On a search and save mission. The little hands Mary held would stretch out to save people from their sins. Jesus came to seek and save the lost. To call people to himself.

While thinking of the busyness of the season, the gotta do this and have to go there, I was reminded by a book I’m reading, that often times we get distracted by many things. That even when we are “working for the Lord” our focus isn’t truly on Him. 

Sinclair Ferguson says this in regards to Martha from Luke 10:38-42 

“Martha had been distracted by many things. The result was that she had lost her focus on Jesus. These things were vehicles for serving him. But in the process of Martha’s serving, Jesus himself had been obscured. She had lost sight of the Saviour in the service. Doing things for Him had taken the place of being with him. How often we make the same mistakes as Martha. Read Paul’s words in Philippians 3:13-14 and remember that only one thing is necessary.” 

But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. ⁸ Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ ⁹ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— ¹⁰ that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,¹¹ that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.

Straining Toward the Goal

¹² Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. ¹³ Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, ¹⁴ I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. ¹⁵ Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. ¹⁶ Only let us hold true to what we have attained.

When we read in verse 13 and 14 Paul says, “but one thing I do” that one thing is pursuing Christ. Our goal each day is to pursue Jesus and to be more like him here and now and our prize — Christlikeness in heaven. 

Martha in all her prepping and preparing lost sight of what truly mattered. While running around doing things for Jesus, she hadn’t made any time to be with him. Jesus is so kind and gentle with her. He knew her heart, he knew she was anxious and troubled. 

“Martha, Martha,” he says. “You are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.” 

This week, do not me anxious or troubled about all the things, rather set your mind and heart on the one necessary thing, your relationship with Christ, because He has made you His own. Pursue Him and aspire to be more like Him. 

Blessings dear ones,

Bree