In my mind’s eye I see I hugely bright light. What is it? A Furnace – and I hear God say: “You have a furnace burning inside of you – a furnace which I have lit – a furnace which is burning with My love – a furnace which is empowering you, a furnace which is producing a burning light. It needs to be on a hill so that people can see it. But a furnace can only burn if it receives enough oxygen – enough air – that air is My love. So for the furnace to keep burning brightly you need a constant revelation of My love – you need to open the doors of your heart – so that I can feed the furnace burning inside you with my love – receive my love NOW – and continue to receive it. A furnace does not continue to burn brightly if it only occasionally receives oxygen – it needs to be fed repeatedly and continually – so keep reminding yourself of My love for you, so that your furnace burns more and more brightly”.
My reading today is Luke 10:38 – 42. Why don’t you join in by reading this very well known passage carefully and listening to what Jesus is saying to you from it, despite the fact that you may know it so well? Then though, reflect on the context from vs 25. How does this help you understand the purpose of Luke telling this story here, better. Now write down your observations as you remember to ask Jesus what He is saying to you.
What struck me immediately was the phrase in vs 39, which reflects what our blog is about again. But why does Luke tell this story here and what is the application? So the context helped me.
What did the expert in the law ask Jesus? How did the story of the good Samaritan fit with that?
OK so this is what I saw. I would be interested to hear what you heard Jesus say to you. The most important or the summary of God’s law is that we must love Him with all our heart, soul. strength, and mind and our neighbour as ourselves. But the question is how does this show? How do we demonstrate our love for God? Well here is a practical example. Treat the person who comes across your path in need, with compassion, in a practical, helpful and compassionate way, no matter who they are. That is a visible way of living out God’s law. And the next story? Well, mere practical actions on their own don’t necessarily show your love of God. Many people do loads of good without even knowing God. But in a way there is a difference here. the Samaritan is a despised outcast of a different race, who the average person would ignore.
But most important is what the story of Mary and Martha is about. Your actions need to arise from a living relationship with God, which here is reflected as sitting at Jesus’ feet listening to Him. So the very act of listening to Jesus is the heartbeat of everything we do in His name! That is why our time of listening is so important. It needs to be the sort of listening where your heartbeat meets God’s. But equally important it must demonstrate its reality by practical fruit.
Oh and by the way, a little further back (vs 21), if you remember is the teaching of Jesus where He explains the secret of hearing His voice. He reveals Himself to us when our attitude is that of a little child.
So now, why don’t you open he door to the furnace which is burning in your heart and let the oxygen of God’s word feed it.
Miriam and Martha. I love this story. My heart desires a close relationship with the Lord to sit at His feet and to listen to His word. Through the presence of the Holy Spirit the Fire the Comforter the Life the Lord is closer than the next breath. I know we will only see the Lord face to face when we are in our true home in heaven on earth we are only granted a glimpse. This is often very difficult for me and I have a strong longing for my home in heaven . The tears flow frequently. But I have a choice I can choose despair or I can choose to trust the Lord and feel safe in Him. We are living in a fallen broken world. We need to put on the Armor of Light Roman’s 13 12. We need to walk in the protective light shield of the Lord.He will not forsake us. …..For we were saved in this hope but hope that is seen is not hope for why does one still.hope for what he sees. But if we hope for what we do not see we eagerly wait for it with.perseverance Roman’s 8 24 For from His fullness we have all.received grace upon grace. All.glory be to the Lord forever and ever
Ian, I love the story of Mary as opposed to Martha. And that our light for Jesus must be reflected in our daily lives. I so appreciate your teachings. I in my church in Pietermaritzburg I felt like Martha, because I was in control of the kitchen at funerals and Sundays serving tea. But I wasn’t in the kitchen all the time! Now I have more time to spend with Jesus and reflect on my life in Him.
Lovely beautiful Katny i would like to be in the kitchen of the church with you again if only Covid 19 would allow it.
Thank you both Lilly and Kathy for your comments. It is my prayer that more brothers and sisters would avail themselves of Ian’s teachings. He is very humble and will always give God all the glory. I have learnt to appreciate the roles of both Martha and Mary, having been in both positions. Jesus said “Do not be encumbered, Martha”. At a church I attended in the W Cape, we called ourselves “Mary’s and Marthas”… because the roles overlapped so much. Now there is more time to be “Mary” at Jesus’ feet. As for Emily : She totally encapsulated the “Caring” role. Thank you, Em. Thank you, Ian.