But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her. (Luke 10:41-42)
We are living in a time which everywhere we turn we see challenges, and for every challenge we offer our own personal reactions—worries, uncertainty, confusion, overwhelming, grief, distrust, disarray, disorientation and so forth. Covid-19 encompasses all these reactions and may distract us from our main focus in life--faith in Jesus Christ. What is the best thing to do when we are distracted with many things and worries?
The story of Martha and Mary is a good lesson we can learn for today’s living. While Martha was distracted by her worry of making the best meal for her guest, Mary was being entertained by the guest. She seized the moment which the guest agreed. Mary saw the guest as more important and was the focus of her attention while Martha put her focus on cooking or food. Jesus said, “Mary has chosen the better part.” Of course we need to be worried today but we must not lose our focus on Jesus, the God of our life and all that we have and all that we are.
We pray to you, O God, as our Life-giver, our Provider of all that we have and all that we are. Help us to not lose our focus on you even in time of many challenges and uncertainty. Guide our thoughts and actions as we react to challenges that we are facing today so that we can be faithful to you. In the name of the Risen Lord. Amen.
“Tug Tswv teb has tas, ‘Mathas, Mathas, koj txhawj hab ntxhuv sab rua ntau yaam num kawg le, tabsis tsuas muaj ib yaam zoo xwb. Malis tub xaiv yaam zoo ntawd lawm, tsi muaj leejtwg yuav txeeb tau yaam kws nwg muaj ntawd moog le.” (Lukas 10:41-42)
Najnub nua peb nyob rua tam kws peb tig moog saab twg los peb ntsib teebmeem, hab txhua yaam teebmeem kws peb raug ua rua peb ntxhuv sab—muaj kev txhawjxeeb, tsi paub lub neej tomntej, tsi totaub, tsi paub ua caag, tsi ntseeg sab, tsi pum qaab yua ua le caag tau hab lwm yaam. Covid-19 ua rua peb muaj tej nuav txhua nrho hab yuav ua rua peb tsi muaj sab npuab rua peb lub homphaj (focus)—kev ntseeg Yesus Khetos. Yaam dlaabtsi txhaj yog yaam zoo tshaaj plawg rua peb ua thaum peb ntsib ntau yaam kev ntxhuv sab rua lub neej nuav?
Zaaj keebkwm ntawm Mathas hab Malis ob tus yog ib zaaj zoo rua peb kawm rua kev ua neej nyob najnub nua. Mathas txhawj ntau yaam yuav npaaj kuas tau pluag mov kws qaab tshaaj plawg rua nws tug qhua tabsis Malis taabmeeg nyob nrug nws tug qhua thaam xwb. Malis txeeb lub sijhawm tseemceeb nrug tug qhua kws tug qhua txaus sab pum zoo. Malis saib nwg tug qhua tseemceeb hab muab sijhawm nrug nwg nyob tabsis Mathas muab sijhawm txhawjxeeb rua kev noj kev hau and zaub mov. Yexus has tas, “Malis tub xaiv tau yaam zoo lawm.” Tseebtag peb yeej yuavtsum muaj kev txhawjxeeb tabsis ca peb tsi xob novqaab kev muab sab npuab rua Tswv Yexus, tug Vaajtswv kws tuav peb txuj sa nyob hab pub txhua yaam ntawm kws peb muaj.
Peb thov koj, O Vaajtswv, tug kws yog tug muab txuj sa, hab tug kws pub rua peb muaj txhua yaam. Thov paab peb nub nua kuas peb tsi xob yuam kev moog rua tej teebmeem txhuv sab kws peb raug hab tsi paub ua caag. Coj taw peb txuj kev xaav hab teg dlejnum sijhawm kws peb taabtom raug kev ntxhuvsab kuas peb paub mob sab raug ntseeg koj. Thov lug ntawm tug Tswv kws Sawv Huv Qhov Tuag Rov Qaab Lug. Amees.