Introduction

Welcome, dear friends, to this sacred sanctuary where we gather, not as strangers, but as a family united in Christ’s love. We are here, in the warmth of fellowship, to share in the Word of God, to find comfort and guidance, and to draw strength from His eternal wisdom.

In the flurry of our daily lives, it's easy to lose sight of what truly matters. We rush from one task to another, we labor, and we toil. But do we pause? Do we take a moment to bask in the presence of our Lord? Today, we turn our hearts and minds to the Gospel of Luke, specifically Luke 10:38-42. It reads, "As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, 'Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!' 'Martha, Martha,' the Lord answered, 'you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.'"

In this passage, we find a profound lesson about the value of presence over performance, about the peace that comes from sitting at the Lord's feet, and about the transformative power of His presence.

Prioritizing Presence over Performance

In the hustle and bustle of our lives, we often find ourselves caught up in a whirlwind of tasks and responsibilities. We're constantly on the move, always doing something, always performing. It's like we're on a stage, and the world is our audience. We're so focused on getting things done, on meeting expectations, on ticking off items on our to-do list, that we forget to pause. We forget to be still. We forget to simply be.

This is the predicament Martha found herself in. She was so consumed with her duties, so preoccupied with her tasks, that she missed out on the opportunity to be in the presence of Jesus. She was in the same room as the Son of God, yet she was too busy to truly be with Him. She was physically present, but her mind and heart were elsewhere.

On the other hand, Mary chose to sit at the feet of Jesus. She chose to be present, listen and learn. She wasn't concerned about what needed to be done. She wasn't worried about what others might think. She wasn't distracted by the demands of the world. She was fully present, fully engaged, fully attuned to the words of Jesus.

This is a powerful reminder for all of us. We're often so caught up in our own performances that we forget to be present. We're so focused on doing that we forget to be. We're so consumed with our own agendas that we miss out on the beauty of the moment, on the joy of simply being in the presence of God.

But how do we shift our focus from performance to presence? How do we learn to be still, to be present, to be in the moment? It starts with a conscious decision. This requires discipline. But it's a task worth undertaking. For in the presence of God, we find peace. In the presence of God, we find joy. In the presence of God, we find love. In the presence of God, we find ourselves.

Pursuing Peace in His Presence

The story of Mary and Martha gives us a vivid illustration of what it means to pursue peace in His presence ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO