Choosing the Better Portion, From His Presence to Faithful Action

There is a gentle drift that can overtake us, both in the church and in our own hearts. We can become incredibly busy with deeds, yet find ourselves less present with Him.

“Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”
(Luke 10:42)

Martha loved Jesus. Her service was not wasted. But Jesus saw beneath the surface. He named the real danger: a heart divided, anxious, distracted. His words still echo: Only one thing is necessary. He called her back to sit by His feet, to devotion, to the Voice before the work. The Lord wanted her to join her sister Mary in prioritising devotion above hospitality and strife.

God never called us to impress Him with output. Isaiah says, “All our righteous acts are like filthy rags.” That is not God despising good works. It is God exposing what happens when we try to offer righteousness that does not flow from repentance, dependence, and relationship. In Isaiah’s context, the people kept a religious appearance while their hearts wandered, so even their “best” looked contaminated in the light of God’s holiness.

This is the invitation for the year ahead.

Let us step into this year with faithfulness. Serve, build, give, disciple, pray for the sick, love your neighbour, and carry the burdens of others.

But do not let activity replace intimacy. Do not let deeds outrun devotion.

Choose the better portion. Sit at His feet first. Open the Word before you open your calendar. Pray until your heart is tender again. Then rise and serve from overflow, not from striving.

When devotion comes first, your deeds become a fragrance, not a performance. They bear fruit for the kingdom, not just noise for religion.

Shalom, JM