Tag Archives: prayer

Seat Me Next To Matthew

I cannot tell you the number of times I have read over this passage. It is short, simple, and to the point. Basically, Jesus calls Matthew to follow him, and later they gather for dinner at someone’s house where the Pharisees try to crash the party. That’s it.

But this morning as I was reading my devotions, this simple passage brought me to tears. Especially the end of verse 13.

Matthew 9:9-13, “As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, ‘Follow me.’ And he rose and followed him.

And as Jesus reclined at a table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples, ‘Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?’ But when he heard it, he said, ‘Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means. I desire mercy, and not sacrifice. For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.'”

I do NOT want to walk through my life not being at that table. There is not a one of us who is righteous on our own. It is ALL through Christ.

But there are days when I get frustrated or ‘puffed up’ and I FORGET what table I should be eating at. I push away from my plate and stand up, asking questions and pointing fingers to the others around the table. I’d rather “sacrifice” someone than offer them the same mercy that has been shown to me.

And you know what really convicts me? If I DON’T offer mercy, and I profess to be a follower of Christ, they may not want to sit at that table. They may turn away from what is offered there because of MY self-righteousness. AND THEY SHOULD BE THERE, just as I should.

I don’t want to be the reason someone doesn’t sit at the table, Christ should be the reason why we ALL sit at the table.

So today, I am going to take my seat next to Matthew and his friends. I am going to reach out to someone that I have been struggling with, and I encourage you to do the same. I am going to invite them to sit next to me, as I take my spot next to the tax collector.

Choose The Good Portion

This is just this morning. Barely made bed, laundry everywhere. Definitely dog hair on the floor. This is real life. And that’s ok. You know what else is ok? Keeping a spotless house. That is ok too. I, however, am not one of those people.

Oh, what a time we live in. As women, the world calls us to be all and do all: be the boss at work, keep a spotless house, workout daily, raise your kids perfectly, cook Insta-worthy meals, please your man, do all the things, be all the things…and while you are at it…throw some self-care in there.

Don’t forget to post your perfect life across your socials.

Wow.

The world has given us the perfect recipe to breed anxiety and depression. And it shows.

I would be willing to bet that the woman sitting next to you on your morning commute or in the coffee shop or across from you at the salon or the one you follow on the InstaFaceTok is feeling the Exact. Same. Thing.

Pressure. Pressure to keep up, to perform, to be the perfect mom, wife, daughter, friend, Christian, fitness guru, and chef. And the pressure to show everyone the perfection.

But guess what?

YOU DON’T HAVE TO LIVE THAT WAY.

Yep, I said it. The world’s way of life steals your peace, wrecks your joy, and kills your sanity. And you don’t have to take it.

You can choose the Good Portion.

You may know the story of Mary and Martha in Luke 10. If you don’t, read Luke 10:38-42. Even if you know it, read it again. Martha welcomes Jesus into her house, and she is being all the things and doing all the things like a good and gracious host does. But her sister, Mary…Mary does none of that. She sits at the feet of Jesus. And as Martha sees what Mary is doing, she complains to Jesus, “My sister is not helping me be all the things and do all the things. Aren’t you going to do something?”

I LOVE Jesus’s response here. “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion which will not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:41-42.

Martha is being all the things and doing all the things and Jesus refers to her as anxious and troubled.

That is eye opening.

Then he talks about Mary and choosing the Good Portion. Lightbulb!

So, you’re saying that I can leave the dishes in the sink and sit and the feet of Jesus and not have to feel guilty about it?!

That, my dear, is exactly what I am saying.

We are so culturally obsessed about being perfect and showing others that we are perfect that we forget about the Good Portion. We don’t have to carry ANY of that. Jesus was, is, and will always be the only perfect one. You and I were not created that way so why are we acting like we are?

Sister, I do not know why we feel that pressure. I know I feel it, sometimes daily. But then I remember to sit at the feet of Jesus. That is where my peace comes from. I do not have to have a spotless house or cook a 4-course meal daily. I just have to be a good steward of what God has given me. He knows I will not be perfect at it; I just need to cherish it. He just wants our time and our heart. The Good Portion.

So, as you go about starting your day tomorrow, feed yourself, girl with the Good Portion. Sit at the feet of Jesus and ask Him what your day should look like. He is not asking you to be it all and do it all. That’s his job.

And he certainly isn’t asking you to post it all.

He is asking you, though, to give it all. Your life, to Him. It gets much lighter when we do.

I hope as you walk through the week, you sit at the feet of Jesus, give your burdens to God, and choose the Good Portion.

Matthew 11:28-30 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.