WEDNESDAY PM, JAN 29, 7 PM, WE WILL BE SHOWING SLIDES, VIDEOS AND OBJECTS FROM INDIA AS WELL AS TALKING ABOUT OUR TRIP IN DETAIL.   We’ll wear our Indian dress as well.  Come join us!!!

Nancy wasn’t just a great asset to me this trip, she was  wonderful blessing to everyone who met her.  The pastors loved her, their wives were thrilled to have her, and children were naturally attracted to her. One of the ways she ministered was by starting off each conference by talking about Mary and Martha (Luke 10:38-42). 

            She explained how Martha was so distracted with being busy that she didn’t take time to sit at Jesus’ feet and fellowship with Him. The housework she was doing wasn’t wrong or bad, it was just that there was something better she could and should be doing at that time.  Indian pastors often have a hard time saying no to the demands of people, so this lesson about priorities was important for them.  Pastors, and other Christians as well, can substitute business for holiness.  Busy people are seen as important people.  It’s easy to stay busy, but hard to have an ordered life of godly priorities.

            To illustrate her point Nancy had an empty jar and a pile of rocks of different sizes.  She demonstrated that in order to get all the rocks in the big rocks had to go in first, then those a little smaller and a little smaller yet.  To partially or totally fill the jar with small rocks would mean there would be no room for the large rocks.     Then she talked about the largest rock that must go in first or there won’t be room for it – time with God.  Other large rocks include time with their family, Bible study, being a good steward of their body, etc. 

            The jar stayed on our speakers table in the front of the room for the whole conference. I would often refer to it as I taught the pastors, emphasizing that quality time with God and His Word was the first and most important stone.  Meeting their wives’ needs was the second stone that had to go in, then their children were third.  Studying and preparing nourishing sermons was a large rock, as was taking care of their health by proper diet, sleep, exercise and time off.  Training their people to minister and grow was also important (Ephesians 5:12).  Doing things for their people that they should be doing for themselves was a small stone and not a top priority.

            Nancy did a great job of explaining this and they listened attentively to the white skinned blond haired woman from America. It was a great way to start each conference and as I referred to it and applied it to each of my sessions it reinforced what she had said and tied everything together in a nice way.  We really hadn’t planned that, it just sort of ‘happened’ – but obviously God had it planned all along.

Luke 10:38-42  As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. 39 She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. 40 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 by myself? Tell her to help me!”   41 “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, 42 but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

If Jesus would speak to you, what do you think He would say you were putting before time with Him? Take time now, no matter how busy you feel, to ‘sit at Jesus’ feet” enjoying His presence and learning from Him. If you don’t know how to do that ask Him to teach you, and spend time there every day.