A heart devoted to God

This is the first chapter from A young Woman After God's Own Heart by Elizabeth George. Grab your book, a Bible, and a pen and let's get started!

Have you ever felt nervous...fidgety..on edge...cranky? Sort of like your life was falling apart and you were losing control? And even though you knew it and you didn't want to act the way you were, you kept on stomping through the day, lashing out at anybody and everybody who crossed you path-your parents,your brother or sister, your friends, a salesperson?
Well, my friend, you are not alone! This happened to a woman in the Bible-a woman just like you and me-who got too worked up. In fact, she was a wreck! Her name is Martha, and Martha was a friend of Jesus.

Martha got stressed out over serving and working for Jesus, without stopping to enjoy and worship Him. When Martha got caught up in the preparations for having Jesus over, she got over worked and lashed out on her sister, Mary, and even Jesus!

Looking at the Bible's account and what it tells us about both Martha and Mary will answer all of our questions. Read it below. It's what I call "the tale of two sisters." And while your reading, notice what Jesus said was wrong in Martha's heart. Notice, too, the words the Bible-and Jesus-uses to describe Martha's conduct. And don't fail to catch how Mary is described and what good things Jesus has to say about her.
As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, they came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work myself? Tell her to help me!"

"Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her" (Luke 10:38 - 42).


WHAT MADE THE DIFFERENCE?

As we learn from these two sisters, we mustn't miss the fact that both of them loved Jesus (see verses 38-39). Both loved our Lord, and both served Him. But in this scene there was a great difference in their behaviors, which revealed something about what was going on in their hearts at the time.

Mary took time to listen to Jesus and put serving him on hold. Mary demonstrated a Heart Devoted to God by listening to him. This reminds us that we should take time to listen and pray to God, and not only serve Him.

YES, BUT HOW?
I know you want to be a woman after God's own heart, too just like Mary was. So how can you move in that direction? Consider these three tried and true ways.

1. CHOOSE TO SPEND TIME WITH GOD - Here's how one woman after God's own heart put it: "I don't want to be robbed of even one of God's riches by not taking time to let Him invade my life. By not listening to what He is telling me. By allowing the routine, pressing matters of my minutes to bankrupt me of time for the most exciting, most fulfilling relationship in my life."

2. CHOOSE GOD'S WAYS AT EVERY OPPORTUNITY



3. COMMIT YOURSELF TO GOD DAILY


4. CULTIVATE A HOT HEART - God has a few things to say to us in Revelation 3:15-16 about our heart condition.

I encourage you to take time every day to devote yourself to God. I hope you buy this book. If you do, you can use the quite times calendar, Heart Response devotionals, and more. I pray that you will strive to have a heart devoted to God!

Kaylee