{"id":21979,"date":"2017-12-20T00:05:46","date_gmt":"2017-12-20T08:05:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.lccredding.org\/church\/?p=21979"},"modified":"2017-12-08T16:40:27","modified_gmt":"2017-12-09T00:40:27","slug":"december-20-2017","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lccredding.org\/church\/2017\/12\/20\/december-20-2017\/","title":{"rendered":"December 20, 2017"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\u201cThe Lord answered: \u2018Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things. One thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the better part. It won\u2019t be taken away from her<\/em>.\u201d Luke 10:41-42<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>The Better Part<\/strong><\/h2>\n

This is a fun time of year with all of the planning, preparing, baking, shopping, visiting, traveling, and keeping up family tradition. But the true meaning of this season is so easily diluted by being preoccupied with the other important things that keep us busy. These things are fun but they can also be overwhelming, causing worry and stress. Before we know it, our time is wasted and all becomes a chore instead of a blessing to others and ourselves. We end up reacting to others in stress instead of blessing them with God\u2019s grace and love.<\/p>\n

Did Martha get a bad rap? She was doing very important tasks, and these physical things \u201cneeded\u201d to be taken care of. She was a hard worker and diligent to complete her obligations, all impressive qualities. Yet the Lord stopped her from complaining by saying, \u201cMary has chosen the better part.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

What is the better part? Often this requires stopping what I\u2019m doing right now, giving God thanks, and extending praise for saving me, keeping me, providing for my family, giving us loved ones, and mostly, for loving us. Quiet time with the Lord is so important, especially this time of year. We should ask each day, \u201cWhat is the better part? Lord, help me to choose it\u2014help me to keep You first and allow Your peaceful love to pour out,\u201d thereby drawing in and influencing this needy world for the most valuable thing we can imagine: the reality of God with us, Emmanuel. God gave up everything for us to sit in His presence, absorbing His love and His life-changing Word.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em>\u201cFor God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him would not perish but have everlasting life\u201d<\/em> (John 3:16). This is Christmas\u2014the \u201cbetter part.\u201d<\/p>\n

Yes, Mary chose the better part.<\/p>\n

\u201cDear Father, thank You for sending Your Son who gave up everything for us to choose the better part. Lord, I don\u2019t want to miss a thing You have to say to me or do through me. You are the best part, and I pray to be obedient by spending valuable time with You, learning what is the better part, and then doing it. In Jesus\u2019s Name, Amen.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>

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