Last Chapters of Mary and Martha

Here is my synopsis of the final chapters of this book. I didn’t quite meet the time frame I had set forth, but I did finish the book. The last couple of chapters just summarize everything she has said.

Chapter 11 - Balancing Work and Worship

Colossians 3:23
“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart”

I have been struggling for a long time with what she talked about in Chapter 11, finding balance between work and worship. I tend to be more comfortable on the Martha side, “doing”. So, that means that I need to work a little harder at worship. Yet, I tried to examine if that is entirely true. I have progressed a long way - very slowly - but usually forward. When I am worshipping in church, my heart is in that moment. I am getting better at just focusing on God instead of having my mind wander. When I am serving at church, I am in the moment doing the best that I can.

Weaver uses a teeter - totter as an example of our lives. Sometimes we are heavy on the serving side for a day or a season, but then our lives tip and bring us back to a time of worship and time with our God. Our lives need to be a combination of both - and finding a balance - as with everything- is the challenge.

I use to think that in order to serve God and be in “His Will” that I needed to be a missionary. That is when I heard the verse in Colossians for the first time. That whatever I do - do that for his glory. Serve him as I make dinner for my family, pray for my kids as I drop them off at school, have a listening ear for my students as I teach them. All these things can honor my Savior. He has given me skills to use for His glory. I continue to pray that I will reconnect with him in worship to follow His lead.

Chapter 12 - Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World

Jude 24
“To him who is able to keep you from falling
and to present you before his glorious presence
without fault and with great joy”

The last chapter was a window into the authors struggle to write this book and how she changed during the process. The best message through it was that we are all works in progress. God is renewing us from the inside out everyday.

As always, God uses His living word to speak to us. I had just heard a sermon on the following verse and then Weaver uses it as a key point in finding this balance.

James 1:2-4
“Consider it pure joy, by brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds,
because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.
Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete,
not lacking anything.”

This verse does not say “If” you face trials, it says “whenever”. That means that you will. How we respond to them is part of the learning process. We should respond with joy. I can’t say that is easy. Yet, by persevering, we become more like Christ which is our ultimate goal.

Pastor Stand at our church had a great message on this topic this weekend. You can watch the video or download a pod cast at www.eaglebrookchurch.com.

I am grateful that I took the time to finish this book.

Blessings