IN THE TIME THAT REMAINS
Vernon S. Peters
Luk 10:38 Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.
Luk 10:39 And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word.
Luk 10:40 But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.
Luk 10:41 And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:
Luk 10:42 But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.
I know you don't want to think about the end of time, at this time (holidays-festivities-time of laughter and happiness) ...with all that it portends...doom and gloom and to compound this...the fact that you may not feel ready for that Advent (as surely as you've enjoyed preparing to celebrate the first). Yet dear reader, truth is...in the time that remains, we are called to be mindful of the Truth.
One of the things that I've been made aware of is that there are many people that I've neglected, even when I think I'm serving them (The Martha Complex), time that is lost can never be restored. In my case it is that I never got to share the time that remained for one whom I've said was to me closer than a brother...it was too late that I realized that the time that I spent in the "kitchen" I should have been at his feet wiping his tears away...and he grieved a lot. But this cannot be redeemed.... in his case. But it is not too late...there is time that remains...and I've been guilty of sharing my faith with those who are hurting...they need to know how not to. Truth be told...they really don't care about what I know...they just want to know that I care.
How could I have been so blind, blinded by my so-called self-importance that I didn't see what was right in front of me? ...I'd seen the hurt...I did...but I was too busy thinking about what I had to do: edit and burn the sermon...teach the children...run the audio.... and on and on...anything to get away from those hurting eyes...eyes that I had no clue I'd see for the last time in this life. His mother was the first person I ever heard say that "we must give the flowers while people are alive, not while they are dead and cannot appreciate them"...I desire to give the flowers now!
We need to pray more and talk less...we need to see Him who is invisible so that He may reveal to us our loved ones we are making invisible.
I share this cautionary tale with you, dear reader so that you do not waste the time...time that remains. I've learned through swallowing this bitterest of pills/the hard way...not to waste one single solitary moment...but to cherish the people who God brings in my life...this is my prayer...this is my pledge...by the grace and with the help of Almighty God...to not live my life in vain...like one sister said as we commiserated about our shared experience (he would call her and say, "you don't call me anymore")... "It's not worth it!" What did Martha really profit by baking bread in that hot kitchen...when the Master-baker was sharing the Bread of Life with the young lady at His feet? I dare say nothing, for Jesus told her that her sister has chosen the better role.
Today...today, if you are in the habit of neglecting the things that matter...it is not too late...in the time that remains.... do what the Babe of Bethlehem did: Live for others. But this cannot be produced by carnal hearts, that's why we need His life to be lived out in us. We need to pray more and talk less...we need to see Him who is invisible so that He may reveal to us our loved ones we are making invisible. Especially around the holidays is this important, the hustles and bustles, of the holiday...preparing the dinners and buying trinkets and baubles...all whose end is meaningless if Aunt Harriett is battling breast-cancer and you do not know, if your cousin Morgan is having a hard time adjusting to his dad being away...meaningless...if the people you max your credit-card for are hurting so much that the Best Buy Big-screen cannot heal the pain.
Dear reader...it calls for people of compassion...whose arms are opened wide...so the hurting ones can know that God's love is inside you...in the days that remain...please I beg of you, to make your heart an open door...inviting everyone in...in the time that remain. For in the end only that which is done for God will last! Amen?
