Just One More Hour

“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.” (Luke 10:41-42)


It’s the start of a new week and I (Melissa) am already finding myself wishing for just one more hour (okay, probably more like two or three or four).

I’m looking at my never-ending to-do list. So much to do …

I’m remembering the extra things where I’ve committed my time. Not nearly enough minutes in the day to get it all accomplished …

And I am identifying oh, so closely with Martha today.

In Luke 10:38-42, we find Martha frantically preparing for the arrival of Jesus. She’s cooking. She’s cleaning. She’s working to complete as many tasks as possible found on her never-ending to-do list.

 So much to do …

 Not nearly enough minutes in the day to get everything accomplished …

Sound familiar?

Maybe you can relate. Perhaps you, too, are looking at your calendar this week and finding very little white space showing through the squares that represent each of the next seven days. Maybe you are wondering (like me and like Martha) how you will possibly get everything done.

Martha pleads with Jesus about her constant state of busyness, about how the expectations put on her are just too much, about how she will never be able to get everything done, He reminds her that she is “worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed …” (Luke 10:41-42)

Wait? What?

Stop worrying about a to-do list? Stop being upset about things left undone? Is this even possible?        

Jesus tells us it is.

Instead of choosing to focus our attention on a list of the things we have deemed are the most important, Jesus reminds us to focus our attention on Him and the things that will bring glory to God. Because when that becomes our focus, the franticness of our days stops. Our obsession with “getting it all done” dissipates. And we find that extra hour (or two or three or four).

Will you join me this week in giving our to-do lists to the Lord? To let Him define our priorities? To make Him our time manager? To let Him help us discover that extra hour for the tasks that will glorify Him?

I’ll be honest, the idea does make the Martha in me cringe just a bit. But the promise of a little more peace, a little more calm and a little more simplicity in my week (as well as that  potential for an extra hour or two or three or four is something I would willingly add to my to-do list!

Heavenly Father, this week we give you our to-do list. Help us to let go of our own priorities and, instead, work on a list that is filled with the things that bring You the most glory. Help us let go of the guilt of not getting it all done and exchange that guilt for the peace, calm and simplicity that comes from choosing what is better. We ask all of this in the name of Your Son, Jesus. Amen.

---