Latest / The Daily Word / September 27 – One Thing Is Needed
Transcript
- Robert Rosales: Hey friends, welcome to the Daily Word podcast. I'm Robert Rosales, and along with my wife Yolanda, I have the privilege of serving as the campus pastor at our Gastonia location. Thank you so much for investing some time with me today in God's Word. Whether you're listening on your morning commute, enjoying a cup of coffee, or beginning your day with the Lord, my prayer is that this time encourages you. And draws you closer to him. Let me just remind us that as a church, we're reading through the Bible together using the Life Journal Reading Plan. If you don't have one, come on, whichever campus you attend, go to the next step desk or somewhere in your lobby and ask for a life journal. It's got a reading plan in there. You need one, grab it as soon as you can. Now, I want to just remind us we're using the SOAP method, scripture observation. Application and prayer. It's a simple framework that I've been using for years, and it helps us move God's word from the page into our everyday lives. Now, before we begin, let's pray and invite the Holy Spirit to speak to us as we open up our hearts to God's Word. Father, thank you for this new day and for the privilege of opening your word. Quiet the distractions around us and the noise within us. Give us hearts that are teachable, minds that are attentive, and lives that are ready to obey whatever you reveal. Holy Spirit, illuminate the scriptures and help us not only understand them, but help us live them out today. We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen. Okay, friends, today's passage for september twenty seventh is Luke chapter ten. And I journaled from verses 38 through 42, some of my favorite passages in the scripture. Let me read this out of the New King James Version this time. Now it happened as they went that Jesus entered a certain village, and a certain woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus' feet and heard his word. But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached him and said, Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me alone to serve? Therefore tell her to help me. And Jesus answered and said to her, Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things, but one thing is needed. And Mary has chosen that good part which will not be taken away from her. Listen to what Jesus said. You're worried and troubled about many things, but one thing is needed. Come on, if you're taking notes, the title of my journal entry is simply this: One thing is needed. Come on, say it with me. One thing is needed. Here's my observation. This is one of my favorite passages. What we see here is a universal challenge, something every Christian today must understand. Martha, like us, invited Jesus into her life and home. However, she busies herself with anxiety about serving instead of sitting at Jesus' feet. Many people today feel the same tension. We wake up, feet hit the floor, and we're off. Busy, busy, busy. Busy Martha wasn't doing anything bad, but when she should have chosen the one thing like her sister Mary did, she made the wrong choice. The text shows Jesus giving her a gentle correction. Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things, but one thing is needed. What was the one thing? Sitting at the feet of the master in worship. And the word. When Mary invested in the one thing, whatever she received during that time with Jesus in his word wouldn't be taken away from her. That's what Jesus said. For believers today, this passage challenges our relationship with busyness and spiritual priorities. Martha, as a worker, may be depriving herself of the better part. She needs to make time to set aside other distractions to hear Jesus' thoughts and insights more deeply. This doesn't condemn practical service or work itself. It warns against letting legitimate responsibilities overtake our intimate communion with God. The Apostle Paul echoes this principle when he urges believers. To serve the Lord without distraction. And the passage invites modern disciples to examine whether their schedules, obligations, and anxieties prevent them from prioritizing prayer, scripture, and genuine encounter with God's presence. Jesus taught that loving God with all your heart. Soul and mind and strength is the first and greatest commandment. That's in Matthew 22, 37 through 38. And Mary's posture of pursuing the one thing with attentive listening embodies this priority in action. Wow. I hope you got something out of that. So, Pastor Robert, how does this apply to? To our lives. This is what I wrote down. My application. As a pastor, husband, and followership coach and instructor, my life is full and very busy. Like Martha, I face choosing between busyness and anxiety over priorities, over the one thing that is needed. I choose the one thing. For years I've made this a priority and I will not stop now. As a matter of fact, as God entrusts me with greater kingdom responsibility and privileges, I will increase my time with the Lord in His Word and in worship. I will lean in without distraction to ensure that my time with Him is meaningful and heartfelt. With that, I will continue to preach, teach, and encourage others to do the same. There is no flourishing in life by neglecting the one thing that is needed. Would you pray with me? Father, thank you for speaking to me today through your word. Holy Spirit, help me keep time with Jesus in the Word and worship as a priority. Don't ever let me slip into busyness that overtakes my time with Jesus. Increase my heart and hunger for the one thing. That is needed. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen. Lake Shore family, as you go about your day, my prayer is that you'll keep growing in your love for Jesus and His Word. As you invest time with Him, may He give you fresh insight, strengthen your faith, and guide your steps. Thanks for joining me today on the Daily Word podcast. I pray you've been encouraged to stay in God's Word and walk closely with the Holy Spirit. God bless you and we'll catch you again tomorrow.