Invest in Eternity

This week, I felt like I was drowning. 

Drowning in all the work I put on myself, the obligations I committed to, and the pursuits that captured my interest. 

Now, some of the things that were inducing my stress were good, even necessary, for me to employ myself with (work, college preparations, etc.). Many of these things even were centered around God Himself. The time I devote to God each morning, the Bible story I’m practicing to present to children at a summer camp, the summer Bible study I lead — all these blessings that God has gifted me to further my and others’ relationship with Him had become objects of pressure weighing on my heart. My whole life was a regimented schedule, each task placed rigidly in the allotted time frame I designated. Everything took longer than expected, and I rarely was able to fit everything I had to do into a too-short day. At night, thoughts of all the time I wasted and all the things I didn’t accomplish ran through my head like a rapid slideshow. 

Somehow, the good things I used to enjoy, things that were supposed to add to my life, came to feel like waves overtaking me. 

But amid the storm raging in my heart, God sent me a lifeline. He gently reminded me of the story of Mary and Martha, found in Luke 10:38 - 42. 

This passage felt like a mirror into my own life, with Martha as my reflection. She worked tirelessly with good intentions, her body fully engaged in serving Jesus, mind locked in on the many tasks she put on her plate to show the utmost hospitality. Now, the things Martha was doing were good. It is good to work diligently in all things, to devote oneself to service, to first consider the needs of others. What wasn’t good, was that Martha's works distracted her from what she really needed: intentional time with Jesus. 

“Martha, Martha,” Jesus lovingly corrects her, “you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:41-42).

Mary, in contrast to her sister, was sitting at the feet of Jesus, listening intently as He taught her. She had ceased all she was doing, removing all distractions, to pay full attention to His words. Her mind wasn’t consumed by the time she was losing which could have been filled with productivity and busyness; instead, her thoughts were focused solely on Him as she used her minutes to soak up time with her Savior. Her actions showed that she understood the significance of pursuing a relationship with Jesus, even over doing good works for Him. 

This is what Jesus deemed the only thing necessary. This was the good portion, the thing that alone can sustain us. It may seem wasteful from our earthly perspectives to simply sit with the Lord with all the work, obligations, and commitments we are responsible for. However, Jesus calls us to look beyond the present moment, beyond even our lives on earth, to fully realize the significance of spending time with Him. The time we spend with the Lord “will not be taken away from us.” Our productive work here on earth is significant only while we live here on earth; cultivating a relationship with Jesus is an investment with eternal value. 

When you feel like your life is consuming you, when you feel overwhelmed by the responsibilities set before you, it may be a sign that, like me, you may have let other things take priority over your time alone with God. We by no means are called to live idle, irresponsible lives, but we must take care not to let the things we do for Jesus distract us from our time with Jesus. We shouldn’t have to fit Him into our lives; instead, our lives should be centered around Him with all else flowing from that time. Then, you may find that you have more energy to get through the day, more purpose in your life, and more enjoyment for the things you love. 

The things on earth are temporary and are a mere speck in the scheme of eternity. Will we choose to focus our time on the things that will not last, or the relationship that will bless us for the rest of our lives?