Living in the Spirit
July 17, 2016

Scripture Reading: Luke 10:38-42

Now as they went on their way, he entered a certain village, where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to what he was saying. But Martha was distracted by her many tasks; so she came to him and asked, ‘Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me.’ But the Lord answered her, ‘Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.’

Jesus apparently felt right at home at Mary and Martha’s place, being able to say what he thought without fear. Being nurtured physically, socially, mentally, and spiritually was surely rejuvenating. Mary and Martha’s place was home for his soul’s restoration.

The Body of Christ in all its manifestations is called to be a haven for soul-nourishing and healing when needed. I have experienced real, diagnosable burnout. I was transferred to a children’s hospital to supervise social workers in the midst of the state’s dedication to resurrecting that facility. My work started with a small staff doing specialized work during a normal eight-hour-day, but soon morphed into supervising three shifts, round-the-clock with ever broadening responsibilities. Uneven development is a necessary hazard in most business startups or restructures. I did not know I was in burnout until I left that job and went back to graduate school, which became the oasis in my desert of too much.

I learned an important lesson in that process. God wants us to take care of ourselves and each other as we journey together toward the fulfillment of God’s Kingdom. Our success in implementing God’s plan depends on it.

Prayer: Lord, bless each of us with your wisdom of self-care. Protect us from not investing enough in answering your call and protect us when we think we must do it all

. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized 
Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council 
of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights 
reserved.