A Distracted Mission
A Distracted Mission: When Serving God Becomes a Distraction from God
In our busy lives, it's easy to become so focused on doing good things that we miss the most important thing. This tension between serving God and spending time with God is beautifully illustrated in the story of Mary and Martha, where we learn that even Kingdom work can become a distraction from the King himself.
What Does It Mean to Live on Mission?
Jesus modeled what it meant to live on mission perfectly. Everything He did was with purpose and intent, never missing opportunities because His focus remained on the Kingdom. However, there's an important distinction we must understand: the mission is not the number one thing - the Kingdom of God is.
When the mission becomes our primary focus above the Kingdom, we begin to become distracted by the work instead of fulfilling it alongside the Father. Perhaps the mission was never about completing tasks as much as it is about getting to know the Father along the journey.
Are You Doing the Mission With the Father or Alone?
This is the crucial question we must ask ourselves. It's easy to try to accomplish our calling without the Father, thinking we're making Him proud. But sometimes we can be so busy serving our Father that we actually don't know our Father at all.
Consider the parable of the prodigal son. The brother who stayed faithful on the farm became so consumed with work that he never truly knew his father's heart. If he had known his father, he would have embraced his returning brother alongside his father, because that's what the Father's heart desired.
The Danger of Distraction in Service
In Luke 10:38-42, we encounter Martha and Mary. Martha welcomed Jesus into their home and busied herself with much serving, while Mary chose to sit at Jesus' feet, listening to His teaching. Martha became frustrated and asked Jesus, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me." The key detail Luke provides is that "Martha was distracted with much serving." Even good things in our lives can become distractions from what matters most. We can become so caught up doing the work of God that we forget to spend time with God.
Martha felt what was happening was unfair. We've all been there - feeling like we've done everything right, tried to honor God, made good choices, yet we don't see the breakthroughs we long for. Meanwhile, someone who's "lived like the devil" gives their life to Jesus and seems to have it together within a week.
This tension appears throughout Jesus' parables - workers hired at different times receiving the same wage, the prodigal son receiving celebration while the faithful son gets none. But here's the truth: Christianity isn't fair. Grace means receiving something we don't deserve. We often notice when life is unfair against us but rarely when God's grace is unfair for us.
What Is the "One Thing" That's Necessary?
Jesus responded to Martha's complaint with profound words: "Martha, Martha, 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." The necessary thing wasn't the elaborate meal preparation or the serving - it was what Mary had chosen: to sit at the feet of Jesus. Mary chose the good portion because she chose to be with the Lord.
Why Does God Call Us to Serve If He Doesn't Need Us?
Here's something extraordinary: God doesn't need you to accomplish what He wants. The Kingdom will proceed with or without you. He doesn't need your tithes, your service, or your efforts. Yet He still calls you to participate because He wants you to be part of the journey.
The calling isn't only about the task itself. When a husband loves his wife as Christ loves the church, it's not just about showing her love - it's about learning how Christ loved the church. When a father raises children in God's ways, it's about understanding the Father's heart. The mission teaches us who our Father is.
The Most Important Truth About God's Kingdom
If you remember nothing else, remember this: The most important thing about the Kingdom of God is knowing the King. It's not about what you can do for the King or what you can accomplish. It's about knowing the King. When you know the King, everything else falls into place. But when you prioritize the work above the King, the work becomes a distraction from truly knowing Him.
The more time we spend with our Heavenly Father, the more His Kingdom values are instilled in us. Sometimes we're so busy working for the Kingdom that we don't know the heartbeat behind it. We get so focused on what we think is best that we don't stop to learn who our Father is. When our relationship grows deeper with the Father, our lives start reflecting His Kingdom - not just through what we accomplish, but through who we're becoming along the way.
Life Application
This week, challenge yourself to prioritize being with God over doing things for God. Set aside time daily to simply sit at Jesus' feet like Mary did. Before jumping into your to-do list or ministry activities, spend time in His presence, listening to His word, and getting to know His heart.
Ask yourself these questions:
Remember, the encounters you have with the living God cannot be taken away from you. Choose the good portion this week - choose to know the King above all else.
In our busy lives, it's easy to become so focused on doing good things that we miss the most important thing. This tension between serving God and spending time with God is beautifully illustrated in the story of Mary and Martha, where we learn that even Kingdom work can become a distraction from the King himself.
What Does It Mean to Live on Mission?
Jesus modeled what it meant to live on mission perfectly. Everything He did was with purpose and intent, never missing opportunities because His focus remained on the Kingdom. However, there's an important distinction we must understand: the mission is not the number one thing - the Kingdom of God is.
When the mission becomes our primary focus above the Kingdom, we begin to become distracted by the work instead of fulfilling it alongside the Father. Perhaps the mission was never about completing tasks as much as it is about getting to know the Father along the journey.
Are You Doing the Mission With the Father or Alone?
This is the crucial question we must ask ourselves. It's easy to try to accomplish our calling without the Father, thinking we're making Him proud. But sometimes we can be so busy serving our Father that we actually don't know our Father at all.
Consider the parable of the prodigal son. The brother who stayed faithful on the farm became so consumed with work that he never truly knew his father's heart. If he had known his father, he would have embraced his returning brother alongside his father, because that's what the Father's heart desired.
The Danger of Distraction in Service
In Luke 10:38-42, we encounter Martha and Mary. Martha welcomed Jesus into their home and busied herself with much serving, while Mary chose to sit at Jesus' feet, listening to His teaching. Martha became frustrated and asked Jesus, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me." The key detail Luke provides is that "Martha was distracted with much serving." Even good things in our lives can become distractions from what matters most. We can become so caught up doing the work of God that we forget to spend time with God.
Martha felt what was happening was unfair. We've all been there - feeling like we've done everything right, tried to honor God, made good choices, yet we don't see the breakthroughs we long for. Meanwhile, someone who's "lived like the devil" gives their life to Jesus and seems to have it together within a week.
This tension appears throughout Jesus' parables - workers hired at different times receiving the same wage, the prodigal son receiving celebration while the faithful son gets none. But here's the truth: Christianity isn't fair. Grace means receiving something we don't deserve. We often notice when life is unfair against us but rarely when God's grace is unfair for us.
What Is the "One Thing" That's Necessary?
Jesus responded to Martha's complaint with profound words: "Martha, Martha, 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." The necessary thing wasn't the elaborate meal preparation or the serving - it was what Mary had chosen: to sit at the feet of Jesus. Mary chose the good portion because she chose to be with the Lord.
Why Does God Call Us to Serve If He Doesn't Need Us?
Here's something extraordinary: God doesn't need you to accomplish what He wants. The Kingdom will proceed with or without you. He doesn't need your tithes, your service, or your efforts. Yet He still calls you to participate because He wants you to be part of the journey.
The calling isn't only about the task itself. When a husband loves his wife as Christ loves the church, it's not just about showing her love - it's about learning how Christ loved the church. When a father raises children in God's ways, it's about understanding the Father's heart. The mission teaches us who our Father is.
The Most Important Truth About God's Kingdom
If you remember nothing else, remember this: The most important thing about the Kingdom of God is knowing the King. It's not about what you can do for the King or what you can accomplish. It's about knowing the King. When you know the King, everything else falls into place. But when you prioritize the work above the King, the work becomes a distraction from truly knowing Him.
The more time we spend with our Heavenly Father, the more His Kingdom values are instilled in us. Sometimes we're so busy working for the Kingdom that we don't know the heartbeat behind it. We get so focused on what we think is best that we don't stop to learn who our Father is. When our relationship grows deeper with the Father, our lives start reflecting His Kingdom - not just through what we accomplish, but through who we're becoming along the way.
Life Application
This week, challenge yourself to prioritize being with God over doing things for God. Set aside time daily to simply sit at Jesus' feet like Mary did. Before jumping into your to-do list or ministry activities, spend time in His presence, listening to His word, and getting to know His heart.
Ask yourself these questions:
- Am I doing the mission with the Father or alone?
- How much time am I spending getting to know the Father's heartbeat versus just completing tasks?
- Have I become so busy serving Jesus that I've stopped spending time with Jesus?
- What "good things" in my life might be distracting me from the "necessary thing"?
Remember, the encounters you have with the living God cannot be taken away from you. Choose the good portion this week - choose to know the King above all else.
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