Bible in a Year - Women’s Thematic Reading Plan | Day 75

Day 75 of the Women’s Bible Plan: Read Luke 10:38-42 and reflect on Mary, who sat at Jesus’ feet and listened to His word. Through the contrast between Mary’s quiet listening and Martha’s anxious serving, this devotional helps women consider the priority of hearing the Lord’s word in the middle of daily responsibilities, service, and pressure. 

🌸  Dear Sister, welcome to Day 75 of our reading journey. 

Sometimes we are not lacking love for the Lord. We are not unwilling to serve. We are simply too busy. We become so busy that our hearts are filled with many concerns. Our hands may be serving, but our souls grow anxious. We prepare many things for others, yet forget that we also need to sit down and be nourished by the words of the Lord.

Luke 10:38-42 brings us into a very ordinary home scene. Jesus entered a certain village, and Martha received Him into her house. Martha was busy serving, while Mary sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word. Martha’s heart became burdened and troubled, and she said to the Lord, “Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone?” In that sentence, we can hear weariness, disappointment, responsibility, and the pain of feeling unseen.

But Jesus answered her gently: “Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.” Today, through this passage, the Lord invites us to consider again: In the middle of busyness, responsibility, ministry, and life pressure, do we still place hearing His word first?

A Minute of Grace

Luke 10:38-42 records that Jesus entered a village, and Martha welcomed Him into her house. Martha had a sister named Mary, who sat at Jesus’ feet and listened to His word. Martha, however, was “cumbered about much serving.” Her heart became troubled, and she came to Jesus with her complaint, hoping that the Lord would tell Mary to help her.

This passage is not teaching us that service is unimportant. It does not mean that caring for the home, receiving guests, or carrying responsibilities is wrong. Martha’s service itself was not wrong, and her desire to welcome the Lord was precious. The problem was that her heart had been pulled in many directions. She became anxious, burdened, and resentful, and she began to measure another person’s love and faithfulness by her own busyness.

Mary, in contrast, chose to sit at the Lord’s feet and hear His word. In that culture, sitting at a teacher’s feet was the posture of a disciple. Mary was not being lazy, nor was she simply avoiding responsibility. She was placing the Lord’s word at the center of her life. She understood that true service does not begin with activity, but with listening. True love for the Lord is not only doing many things for Him, but first receiving His word in His presence.

Jesus said that Mary had chosen “that good part,” which would not be taken away from her. This was not a rejection of everyone who is busy. It was a tender call to Martha’s anxious heart. The Lord reminded her—and reminds us—that many things in life matter, but only one thing is needful. If we lose the foundation of drawing near to the Lord and listening to His word, even much service can leave us dry, restless, comparing, and complaining.

Today’s theme, “Mary: Choosing That Good Part,” invites us to reflect: In the busyness of life, am I still willing to make room for the Lord’s word? In service and responsibility, do I remember that what the Lord values most is not only how much I do for Him, but whether I first come before Him, listen to Him, receive His love, and allow Him to renew me?

Whispers for the Heart

1 Martha was careful and troubled about many things. Are you also being pulled by many concerns recently—family, work, ministry, children, relationships, plans, finances, or the expectations of others? Is this busyness making your heart anxious, resentful, or easily drawn into comparison?

2 Mary sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word. Do you have a daily space to become quiet and listen to the Lord’s word? Even if the time is short, are you willing to place Scripture, prayer, and quiet nearness to the Lord back into the priority of your life?

3 Jesus said that Mary chose the good part, which would not be taken away from her. Among the many things you are pursuing today, which ones will pass away, be taken away, or exhaust you? Which things truly nourish your soul and help you stand firm in the Lord?

As you read Luke 10:38-42 today, do not rush to take sides between Martha and Mary, and do not use this passage to condemn your own busyness. Instead, listen more deeply to the Lord’s tender invitation: Child, you are not only someone who must keep completing tasks. You are also someone who needs to sit at My feet and be nourished by My word.

Take a quiet breath before you begin. Bring your many concerns, troubles, weariness, responsibilities, and unfinished tasks before the Lord, and let His Word meet you there.

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Luke 10:38-42 (KJV) 

38 Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.

39 And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word.

40 But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.

41 And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:

42 But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

💡 Closing Thought · Returning to the Lord’s Feet 

After reading Luke 10:38-42, we see that Mary did not choose the busiest place, but she chose the most important place—sitting at the Lord’s feet and listening to His word. Martha’s busyness reminds us that service without listening can easily become anxiety; responsibility without nearness to the Lord can become resentment; and love without the Lord’s word can lose its joy under the weight of weariness.

As we close this page and return to daily life, there may still be many things waiting for you to handle, many responsibilities to carry, and many people who need your care. But remember this: among all important things, one thing is needful—to come before the Lord, hear His word, and let Him reorder your heart.

May today’s Scripture remind you that you are not only a busy person completing tasks; you are also a daughter loved by the Lord. Whether before the day begins or in the middle of fatigue and confusion, may you still make room for His word. May you choose that good part, and may the Lord’s presence become your true strength and rest today.

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