Strange headline? Yes, I know. But I want to get your attention. And to answer the question; no, cooking is not bad. Cooking is good. Good cooks are always welcome, and good food is a blessing!
However, there is (at least) one situation in the Bible where Jesus rebuked the cook for cooking. Let's read from Luke 10:39-42,
"And she (Martha) had a sister, by name Mary, who took her seat at the Lord's feet and gave attention to his words. But Martha had her hands full of the work of the house, (she was cumbered about much serving) and she came to him and said, Lord, is it nothing to you that my sister has let me do all the work? Say to her that she is to give me some help. But the Lord, answering, said to her, Martha, Martha, you are full of care and troubled about such a number of things: Little is needed, or even one thing only: for Mary has taken that good part, which will not be taken away from her.
Jesus and His disciples were visiting Martha and her sister Mary. Two women in the house, and you would expect both women to make preparations for the party. But only one cooked, cleaned and set the table. Unfair? In our minds, yes. It seemed unfair that Martha did all the work when there were two women present. What was Mary doing? She sat at the Lord's feet. Think about that! Sitting down at Jesus' feet while her sister was doing all the household chores! No wonder Martha was angry and wanted Jesus to reprimand Mary.
But to everyone's astonishment, Jesus commended Mary for what she did. He praised Mary for her choice of action, and He rebuked Martha for her cooking.
Why on earth would He do that? What was praiseworthy about Mary's sitting at His feet? Mary gave attention to his words. She listened to what the Master said, and Jesus praised her for that.
Didn't Jesus want to eat? Wasn't He hungry after a long walk in the sun? Absolutely, there's no reason to believe otherwise. However, Jesus looked past His own physical needs and the needs of His friends, and He knew that His words were (and are) food for our souls. Mary had chosen to feed her spirit before she fed her stomack, and that was good in Jesus' eyes.
There is, however, another side to this story. What about Martha? What she did, was good; feedingJesus and His friends was a good thing to do. But was that what Jesus wanted her to do right then and there?
Good things can be distractions from God's plan!
Serving is a good thing, but if God wants you and me to do something else, serving is a distraction. Jesus wanted both Mary and Martha to sit at His feet and "eat" His words first, and then He would have provided something to eat to satisfy the physical hunger afterwards.
Are you busy working for God? Are you doing good deeds and keeping yourself busy cumbered about much serving? Do you want other people to help you fulfill your plans and ideas? Maybe God has a better plan for you? Maybe His plan for you is that you sit at His feet and give attention to His words?
I don't know your situation, but I know that I can very easily be cumbered about much serving. But today I want to remind both myself and you that sitting at Jesus' feet and giving attention to His words is the good part. Sitting at Jesus' feet and listening to His words, will give me the direction, peace and joy I need to live this day in His presence and in His will.
However, there is (at least) one situation in the Bible where Jesus rebuked the cook for cooking. Let's read from Luke 10:39-42,
"And she (Martha) had a sister, by name Mary, who took her seat at the Lord's feet and gave attention to his words. But Martha had her hands full of the work of the house, (she was cumbered about much serving) and she came to him and said, Lord, is it nothing to you that my sister has let me do all the work? Say to her that she is to give me some help. But the Lord, answering, said to her, Martha, Martha, you are full of care and troubled about such a number of things: Little is needed, or even one thing only: for Mary has taken that good part, which will not be taken away from her.
Jesus and His disciples were visiting Martha and her sister Mary. Two women in the house, and you would expect both women to make preparations for the party. But only one cooked, cleaned and set the table. Unfair? In our minds, yes. It seemed unfair that Martha did all the work when there were two women present. What was Mary doing? She sat at the Lord's feet. Think about that! Sitting down at Jesus' feet while her sister was doing all the household chores! No wonder Martha was angry and wanted Jesus to reprimand Mary.
But to everyone's astonishment, Jesus commended Mary for what she did. He praised Mary for her choice of action, and He rebuked Martha for her cooking.
Why on earth would He do that? What was praiseworthy about Mary's sitting at His feet? Mary gave attention to his words. She listened to what the Master said, and Jesus praised her for that.
Didn't Jesus want to eat? Wasn't He hungry after a long walk in the sun? Absolutely, there's no reason to believe otherwise. However, Jesus looked past His own physical needs and the needs of His friends, and He knew that His words were (and are) food for our souls. Mary had chosen to feed her spirit before she fed her stomack, and that was good in Jesus' eyes.
There is, however, another side to this story. What about Martha? What she did, was good; feedingJesus and His friends was a good thing to do. But was that what Jesus wanted her to do right then and there?
Good things can be distractions from God's plan!
Serving is a good thing, but if God wants you and me to do something else, serving is a distraction. Jesus wanted both Mary and Martha to sit at His feet and "eat" His words first, and then He would have provided something to eat to satisfy the physical hunger afterwards.
Are you busy working for God? Are you doing good deeds and keeping yourself busy cumbered about much serving? Do you want other people to help you fulfill your plans and ideas? Maybe God has a better plan for you? Maybe His plan for you is that you sit at His feet and give attention to His words?
I don't know your situation, but I know that I can very easily be cumbered about much serving. But today I want to remind both myself and you that sitting at Jesus' feet and giving attention to His words is the good part. Sitting at Jesus' feet and listening to His words, will give me the direction, peace and joy I need to live this day in His presence and in His will.
Ingen kommentarer:
Legg inn en kommentar