Victory is secured at the secret place
Psalm 91:1, 15: In John 12. Jesus visited the family of the two sisters – Martha and Mary. If you want to know why someone succeeds or fails in life or ministry, visit him at home, go to his place of business. A young Pastor visited a Senior Pastor and met him in fellowship with God from 7 -11 before he left!
In v.2, Martha was busy cooking and serving food. Where was Mary? V.3 – at the feet of Jesus, washing, wiping the water with her hair and anointing His feet with a costly ointment, she had probably reserved for her wedding. Nothing is too much to be offered to God. I have seen a man, who does not know that I know that he paid a tithe of N50M. He does not believe that tithe is 10%. He said that 10% is for the beginners. I suspect that N50M was 20 or 25% tithe he paid. What a man sows he reaps – 2Cor. 9:6.
In Luke 10:40, we meet Martha again in the kitchen. She was preparing food for Jesus. There is nothing wrong with this, so long as we remember that Jesus said that man shall not live by bread alone but only by God’s Word. In Camp Meetings, some people are very busy, running around for the 4 days, making sure things are done well. Thank God for such men and women. At the end of the Camp Meeting, someone may ask one of them how the Camp was. ‘Very good,’ he might say. ‘What was the Theme?’ he may ask. ‘Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world,’ Uncle may reply. ‘Who was the Guest Speaker?’ he is asked. ‘Pastor Tunde Okafor,’ he will reply. ‘What did you gain from his messages?’ he asked. ‘You see, I had to go to the market to buy things to ensure that things went well…’ Fine, whatever a man sows, that he will reap. But we meet her angry with Mary her sister, for not helping her at work. She was angry also with Jesus for not correcting the error of Mary. Imagine a woman, reporting her sister to their visitor! Did she tell Mary to help her and she refused? This is the result of shallow foundation. No time to read or study the Bible. Luke 6:12 – Jesus would go to the mountain to pray. He would pray all night. You will reap what you sow.
Where did we find Mary again?: Luke 10: 39, at the feet of Jesus doing Bible study. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.
Conclusion
The success of Mary was her close intimacy with Jesus. That might have reflected in her relationship with people. Those people, who came to sympathise with them, when Lazarus died, could have come because of her. Martha might not be relating well with God and people. She knew how to confess positively but lacked the needed power to cause things to happen. Mary’s deep relationship with God was what made Heaven to react immediately. That Lazarus came back to life was because of her and not because of empty confession that denied the power thereof.
The challenge: Who should be your Pastor, Martha or Mary? Who should be your Fellowship leader, Martha or Mary? Who should be your member, Martha or Mary? Each reaped what she sowed.
You know yourself. You have been like Martha but this morning, you have been convicted. You now want to be Mary, lift up your hand.
For further comment, Please contact: Osondu Anyalechi: 0802 3002-471;[email protected]