The story of Martha and Mary from Luke chapter 10 is one of those Biblical stories that evokes strong emotions upon its reading. Often times in our first, second, maybe even third reading, we immediately resonate with Martha’s sentiment of feeling alone and needing help. As you read, you can almost hear Martha’s calm demeanor devolve into sighing deeply, clearing her throat loudly, and making as much noise as possible in the kitchen desperately trying to get someone’s, anyone’s attention to help.

Surely, Jesus would understand. Surely Jesus would step in and correct the situation. Yes, Jesus always understands; truth is, we’re the ones who don’t understand. We think we have the solution- “Jesus, if you just did this, everything would be fine.”

Several years ago, the Lord had moved our church for about the 17^th time in the history of our operations. We were renting space from a sister church in a small neighborhood saturated with at least 3 other churches of different denominations. This is when and where the Lord had Martha cross our path. Martha is a petite elderly woman who lives across the street from where we were renting. She was curious yet timid and seemingly too busy to enter the church.  She was always walking to somewhere despite our invitations.

We weren’t able to make a connection with her beyond small talk as we reached out each week to invite her in as she hurriedly walked past on her way to somewhere, sometimes nowhere other than to just walk. Each hurried conversation, one of us offered to pray for her, but she always answered, ‘No, thank you.” Even offering food from our food pantry was turned down. She always had to be on her way.

Then the Lord moved us again to a completely different location, only to move us back after 9 months. When we returned, so did Martha in her curious and timid hurriedness. I prayed for the Lord to bring her in week after week, until the Lord said, ‘Meet her where she is at.” So week after week, I would meet her on the steps of the church, or in the parking lot as she hurried by until one day, she stopped to talk. Finally, she stopped to talk! “Can I pray for you ?” I asked. She simply nodded and smiled. I prayed and she hurried off again.

This continued for several months. Sometimes she accepted the prayer, other times, she was rushing off. Every time she was invited in but politely declined. But then it happened. One particular day, after inviting her in she said, yes! Then she followed it with, “Do you have Jesus in there? Will you be talking about Him so I can learn more?”

I just about fell over in surprise and managed to stutter the words, “Of course, Jesus is who we talk about every week!” She came in and we brought her to the food pantry to pick out whatever she needed or wanted(usually including guava pastries or a lemon loaf) before showing her into the sanctuary. She stayed for the praise and worship but left hurriedly before the sermon. This continued every week for several weeks, until she decided to not rush off after the music and stayed for the sermon. This, too, continued every week for several weeks until the one Sunday, when the Lord stopped time for all of us.

It happened during one of our ordinary worship services. After the praise music and after the announcements, Martha asked if she could approach the podium and speak. With the Holy Spirit’s nudging, I welcomed her up to the microphone.

“I just want to thank God. I want to thank Him for showing me this place. I want to thank God for every person in this place who welcomes me and helps me pick out food to take home.” She concluded her thanksgiving with a prayer over all of her new friends, whose eyes were all teared up at the transformation that the Lord had done, right before our eyes. Martha had learned that her hurrying was a symptom of her fear of a strange new place and people. But God had taught her how to be still and know Him while teaching the rest of us that His love never comes back empty.

Though we have our thoughts about how circumstances should play out, the Lord’s plan is always greater and His timing perfect. For the Marthas that we have in our own lives, don’t give up on them; don’t stop praying for them. Whether they are chasing after the ‘good’ because of fear, or stubbornness, or pride or something else, the Lord will show them the ‘better’  through His love poured out through you, even if that love must be poured out from afar. His faithfulness is revealed through our persistent obedience to be His hands and feet to the lost, the broken, and the ones who need help but feel alone.

Maybe, the Martha in your life is you. The Lord is reaching out to you today, to slow down and hear Him. Look around at the people or the person that the Lord has placed in your life to offer help and more importantly lead you to the One with all the answers who will never leave you alone.

*Martha continues to attend service every week and upon entering the sanctuary, she walks around greeting every person with a hug and a warm smile that says I’m glad you’re here. She always knows where her seat is- it’s the one with the lemon loaf!