Many are so preoccupied with the things of the flesh that they think it's spiritual or spirit worthy. God does not have interest in what seems pleasing to the flesh. You see the church of God today substituting the gospel of God for other natural sakes yet they think they are trying to please the Lord just as Martha thought. Some churches today are after money and money only. Some ministers have turned the church into business cartels, no passion for lost souls anymore, it's not important to them. Observe the programmes and anniversaries in churches today, they boast only of material accomplishments and how wealthy their pastors have become. They don't have time for the advancement of the kingdom again.
We have to sit down and evaluate ourselves, are we doing that which pleases the Lord? The Lord is not interested in frivolities, things that holds no eternal value or worth.
In the case of Martha and Mary with Jesus, physical food that Martha is trying to prepare doesn't matter, what matters most is the spiritual food; the word of God Mary has been itching to listen to. Sometimes we need to suppress our physical man to elevate our spiritual or inner being. Fasting is a way of doing that. We need to discipline and indulge ourselves in the place of fasting. Fasting may weaken the body but it strengthen the spirit being. The word of God is not for hearing sake alone but acting on it and doing the word. Mary was not just listening to the eternal words of Christ in vain. The word of God is life to anyone who determine to act upon it. Mary was listening to Jesus while Martha was distracted with serving. Are you a server or a listener? Always be inquisitive to the word of God, to the things of the spirit. Study and meditate in the word of God always.
God desires to speak to us through his words. Just like Mary desired spiritual improvement, we must also strive to grow in the spirit. Physical growth and development is not bad or ungodly, but it shouldn't be placed above spiritual growth, the spiritual governs the physical. You must not deteriorate in the spirit. You ask some people why they're not present in the church programmes they tell you they have been busy, busy with the things of the flesh and abandoning God. One learn to grow in Christ by reading and studying the word of God, through constant prayers and fellowship with other believers. A busy man will tell you he doesn't have time for all these and yet he wants to grow spiritually. God is not interested in mediocrity.
Mary should have assisted her sister in the kitchen but she chose another path; an eternal path. She knew Jesus could eat later, his words is important for her life. She sacrificed her time that was meant to help her sister to hear God's word. God is not asking for all of our time, he just wants us to seek him consistently, wholeheartedly and faithfully no matter how much or less time. Many always try to move closer to God only when they are in some kind of troubles, once their troubles are over they stay far away, they suddenly don't have time for God anymore.
Prepare to change your ways today and start giving out your time to things that matters spiritually. Sometimes what matters to man don't really matters to God at all.
The word of God is something we should always strive to listen to and act upon