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Week 27
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Week 52

Breath of Power

A Weekly Devotional of Jesus Power Outreach Ministries

Key Passage: Luke 10: 38 - 42

Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word. But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, "Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me." And Jesus answered and said to her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her."

The people had been waiting for over four hours in their hundreds at the airport to welcome the President. They had made tireless efforts to prepare for the day: repaired the roads, decorated the streets, organized dancing troupes and made beautiful banners. The local chiefs were in their full traditional regalia, the women were dressed in very expensive attires and others were wearing T-shirts boldly written, “WELCOME MR. PRESIDENT”. However, when the President arrived, he spent barely ten minutes at the airport. He only shook hands with few of the state officials, waved to the cheering crowd, and entered an awaiting Limousine and drove off. That happened in one of the states in Nigeria, and it is like what obtains in the world. A lot of people go overboard in an attempt to impress, while matters of greater importance are neglected.

Martha fell into the same error when she hosted Jesus. She was so engrossed in her serving that she neglected the most important reason why Jesus came: to commune and fellowship with her and her family. Mary made the right choice. She sat at Jesus’ feet and listened to his words. But Martha was offended and demanded that Jesus correct her.

Jesus used that opportunity to drive home a great truth to Martha: “You’ve not gotten your priorities right. Mary’s choice to listen to me is more important than what you are busy doing.” Jesus by that did not trivialize the importance of true service to God, but stressed the greater importance of communion and fellowship with him, and the vanity of overshooting in service in order to impress.

There are many today who put in a lot into preparing and dressing for church services only to be late for the services or sleep during the messages. Some spend so much time on church activities that they have little or no time for “quiet time”, Bible study and personal prayer and worship. Such people need to be careful if they do not want to be “burnt out”. We should get our priorities right and choose to build a strong personal relationship with God. The reward is great and it endures forever.

Pray: Lord, open my eyes to the vanity of overlaboring myself to impress; help me to develop a strong personal relationship with you.

Written by – Evangelist Oguazi Onyemobi

Copyright © Jesus Power Outreach Ministries Inc., Lagos Nigeria