Today’s devotional comes to us from Jonah Morgan! Jonah is an Electrical Engineering and Chemistry Major from Grand Prairie, TX. Jonah founded the Orthodox Christian Campus Ministries chapter here at TCU, and he deeply involved in the Office of Religious and Spiritual Life’s Interfaith Initiative. Jonah has three younger siblings, and he has been teaching Sunday School for six years at his church! As I have gotten to know Jonah, I have seen both his passion for his faith and his love of neighbor. He is kind, inquisitive, open-minded, and eager to learn from others. I’m grateful to know him, and I hope you enjoy his words for us today.
Luke 10:38-42
Now it happened as they went that He 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 to serve alone? 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.”
Reflection:
In this short scene in Luke, Martha and Mary take two different approaches to worship: service (spiritual labor) and attention (sitting with Christ). While Martha’s work might seem “harder”, it’s Mary’s decision to simply sit that the Lord sets aside. What Christ really wants from each of us is to be close to Him, and to prioritize our relationship with Him over the busyness of life.
During Lent, we are invited to fast – a type of spiritual labor – but fasting alone isn’t inherently virtuous; it’s what we do with the space it grants us. Just as Martha was busy with her tasks until Jesus gently told her that Mary had chosen the better part, fasting should not simply become a ritual sacrifice. Instead, it’s an opportunity to make space in our busy lives to sit with Christ. When my mind drifts towards the subject of my fast, I’m reminded to reflect on God’s presence and His thousand tiny wonders in my life. In this way, fasting becomes more than just labor, but a gateway to gratitude, reflection, and connection with our Lord.
And if fasting is not part of our Lenten practice, that’s okay. The goal is still the same: to focus on deepening our connection with God. Alongside Mary, we can use this season to intentionally create space for prayer, reflection, and intimacy with Christ.
For the remainder of this season let us focus on that “good part”. May Lent enable us to give more time in quiet closeness with God. Like Mary, let us use this time to kindle our connection with Him who waits for us to sit at His feet.
Let us pray.
O Lord God, as we pass through Lent, help us to use this season to draw closer to You. May our practices during this time create space in our hearts to sit at Your feet and listen, and teach us to prioritize being with You, so that we can grow in love and increase in Your likeness. Amen.