Finding Focus: Embracing Presence Over Busyness

Devotional

Day 1: Choosing the Better Part—Focusing on Jesus Above All

In a world filled with endless demands and distractions, it is easy to become like Martha—busy, overwhelmed, and worried about many things. Yet, Jesus gently reminds us that there is need of only one thing: to sit at His feet, to listen, and to be present with Him. Mary chose this better part, prioritizing time with Jesus over the urgent tasks clamoring for her attention. This invitation is for each of us—to pause, to rest, and to focus on what truly matters: our relationship with God. [17:53]

Luke 10:38-42 (ESV)
Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” But the Lord answered her, “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.”

Reflection: What is one specific way you can set aside your busyness today to intentionally spend time at Jesus’ feet, listening and being present with Him?

Day 2: The Trap of Busyness—Finding Our Worth in God, Not Activity

Our culture often equates busyness with importance, leading us to fill our schedules to the brim and even encourage our children to do the same. This constant activity can leave us scattered, exhausted, and disconnected from what truly gives life. True worth is not found in how much we do, but in who we are as beloved children of God. By learning to discern our priorities and letting go of unnecessary obligations, we make space for God’s love and guidance to shape our lives. [21:10]

Ecclesiastes 4:6 (ESV)
Better is a handful of quietness than two hands full of toil and a striving after wind.

Reflection: Is there an activity or commitment you need to let go of this week so you can make room for rest and deeper connection with God?

Day 3: The Gift of Sabbath—Resting and Listening for God’s Voice

God calls all people to observe a Sabbath—a regular time of rest, renewal, and attentive listening. In our exhaustion, we are reminded that rest is not a luxury but a spiritual necessity. Sabbath is an invitation to stop, to be still, and to listen for the still small voice of the Holy Spirit. Whether through prayer, Scripture, or simply quiet presence, God is always reaching out to us, longing to restore our souls and renew our minds. [36:01]

Exodus 20:8-10a (ESV)
Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God.

Reflection: How can you intentionally set aside time this week for Sabbath rest, and what might it look like for you to listen for God’s voice in that space?

Day 4: The Power of Presence—Being Mindful and Centered in God

Jesus’ words to Martha, “There is need of only one thing,” echo the wisdom of being present in the here and now. The practice of mindfulness—being fully attentive to God’s presence—draws us away from distraction and into deeper communion with the Holy. Whether through Christian contemplation, centering prayer, or simply quiet reflection, we are invited to cultivate a focused heart that is open to God’s guidance and peace. [33:07]

Psalm 46:10 (ESV)
“Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”

Reflection: When was the last time you were truly still before God? Set aside five minutes today to be silent and attentive, simply noticing God’s presence with you.

Day 5: Living with Compassion—Letting God’s Love Guide Our Priorities

As we learn to focus on God and rest in His presence, we are empowered to live out the two greatest commandments: loving God and loving our neighbor. True spiritual formation leads us to compassionate action, serving others not out of frantic obligation but from a place of centeredness and love. When we let God’s love shape our priorities, we become agents of healing, justice, and hope in our families, church, and community. [25:35]

Matthew 22:37-39 (ESV)
And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

Reflection: Who is one person you can show compassion to today, not out of duty, but as an overflow of God’s love in your life?

Sermon Summary

This morning, the invitation is to pause and consider where our focus truly lies. In a world that constantly demands our attention and fills our schedules with endless tasks, it is easy to become like Martha—distracted, overwhelmed, and convinced that our worth is measured by our busyness. Yet, the story of Mary and Martha in Luke 10:38-42 gently challenges this mindset. While Martha is busy with many tasks, Mary chooses to sit at Jesus’ feet, listening and being present. Jesus affirms Mary’s choice, reminding us that there is “need of only one thing.”

This is a call to let go of the relentless pursuit of activity and to embrace the discipline of presence. Our culture often equates busyness with importance, and we may even feel pressure to fill our children’s lives with endless activities, believing this is what’s best for them. But true growth—spiritually, emotionally, and relationally—comes from learning to discern what is truly necessary and letting go of what distracts us from God.

We are reminded that God is not found in the noise and the rush, but in the quiet moments of rest, prayer, and attentive listening. Whether through Christian contemplation, centering prayer, or even practices borrowed from other traditions, the invitation is the same: to be still, to listen, and to focus on the presence of God. This is not just about personal well-being, but about being equipped to love God and neighbor more deeply, to serve our community with compassion, and to live out our faith with clarity and purpose.

The challenge is to create space in our lives for Sabbath, for spiritual retreat, and for intentional devotion. This may mean saying no to good things in order to say yes to the best thing. It may mean helping our children and ourselves learn the value of focus and discernment. In doing so, we follow the way of Jesus, who calls us to a life that is not scattered, but centered—rooted in God’s love and attentive to the Spirit’s leading. May we heed this call, finding rest for our souls and strength for the journey ahead.

Key Takeaways

1. The Tyranny of Busyness: Our culture often glorifies being busy, equating it with significance and success. Yet, this constant activity can distract us from what truly matters—our relationship with God and with others. The story of Martha and Mary reveals that busyness, even in service, can become a barrier to spiritual depth if it keeps us from being present to God. [18:26]
2. The Courage to Choose the “Better Part”: Mary’s decision to sit at Jesus’ feet was countercultural, especially for a woman in her time. She chose to prioritize spiritual nourishment over societal expectations and the demands of productivity. This challenges us to discern what is truly necessary in our lives and to have the courage to choose what draws us closer to God, even if it means disappointing others or breaking with tradition. [31:53]
3. Sabbath as Resistance and Renewal: Observing a Sabbath—a time of intentional rest and focus on God—is not just a religious duty, but an act of resistance against a world that values constant output. Sabbath invites us to stop, to listen, and to be renewed in body, mind, and spirit. It is a weekly reminder that our worth is not in what we do, but in who we are before God. [36:01]
4. The Practice of Presence: Jesus’ words, “there is need of only one thing,” point us toward the spiritual practice of being present—whether through prayer, meditation, or simply attentive listening. This presence is not passive, but a deep engagement with God and with the moment. It is in this focused stillness that we hear the Spirit’s voice and are transformed. [33:07]
5. Discernment in Community and Family Life: The call to focus is not just individual, but communal. We are invited to help one another—especially our children—learn to prioritize what is life-giving and to let go of what is merely distracting. This requires discernment, honesty, and sometimes the courage to say no to good things in order to say yes to what is best for our souls and our community. [22:38]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[02:20] - Theme: Focus and Distraction
[03:15] - Call to Worship and Sanctuary Chorus
[04:00] - Responsive Prayer and Rest
[05:56] - Opening Prayer and Song
[10:21] - Announcements and Community Life
[15:18] - Gospel Reading: Mary and Martha
[18:26] - The Problem of Busyness
[21:10] - Children and the Pressure of Activity
[23:24] - A Story of Over-Scheduled Families
[25:16] - Church Growth and True Focus
[26:10] - Martha’s Distraction and Our Own
[28:58] - The One Thing Needed: Sitting at Jesus’ Feet
[31:53] - Mary’s Countercultural Choice
[33:07] - Presence, Contemplation, and Centering Prayer
[36:01] - Sabbath, Rest, and Spiritual Renewal
[39:04] - Mary as Our Example
[41:09] - Prayers for the Community and the World
[49:17] - Commitment and Release
[54:30] - Benediction: Living with Focus

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Luke 10:38-42 (ESV) — Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” But the Lord answered her, “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.”

Observation Questions

According to the story in Luke 10:38-42, what were the different choices that Mary and Martha made when Jesus visited their home?
What does Jesus say to Martha about her busyness and Mary’s choice? What words does he use to describe Martha’s state of mind?
In the sermon, what examples were given of how our culture encourages busyness, both for adults and for children? [[21:10]]
How does the sermon describe the “one thing” that is needed, according to Jesus? [[28:58]]

Interpretation Questions

Why do you think Jesus affirmed Mary’s choice to sit and listen, even though Martha was doing important work to serve? What does this say about what Jesus values? [[31:53]]
The sermon mentions that Mary’s choice was “countercultural” for her time. What might it look like to make a countercultural choice to focus on God today? [[31:53]]
The pastor talked about Sabbath as both “resistance and renewal.” What does it mean for Sabbath to be an act of resistance in our current culture? [[36:01]]
The sermon says that being present with God is not just for our own well-being, but also equips us to love and serve others. How does time spent in stillness and prayer prepare us for loving our neighbors? [[30:03]]

Application Questions

The sermon described how easy it is to fill our lives and our children’s lives with endless activities. Is there an area in your life (or your family’s life) where you feel “scattered” or overwhelmed by busyness? What is one thing you could let go of to create more space for God? [[21:10]]
Jesus told Martha that “there is need of only one thing.” What is one practical way you could choose the “better part” this week—maybe by setting aside time for prayer, reading, or simply being still? [[28:58]]
The sermon talked about Sabbath as a weekly practice of rest and focus on God. Do you have a regular Sabbath or time of rest? If not, what would it look like to start? If yes, how does it help you? [[36:01]]
The pastor mentioned that sometimes we need to say “no” to good things in order to say “yes” to the best thing. Is there a “good” activity or commitment you might need to reconsider in order to make more room for spiritual growth? [[23:24]]
The sermon encouraged us to help our children (or those we influence) learn the value of focus and discernment. How can you model or teach this in your home or community? [[22:38]]
The practice of presence was described as not just being passive, but as deep engagement with God and the moment. What is one way you can practice being more present with God or with others this week? [[33:07]]
The pastor shared a personal story about needing to rest and listen to God after a busy week. Have you ever experienced a time when you had to stop and rest, even when you didn’t want to? What did you learn from that experience? [[38:14]]

Sermon Clips

Getting focused, sitting at Jesus feet, listening to Holy Spirit, being aware of God, gathering together. Yes. In prayer, in fellowship, in worship. Instead, we tend to scatter ourselves and not focus on the Holy. [00:30:12] (18 seconds) #HolyGathering

Mary, on the other hand, is not busy or distracted. She is doing only one thing with her time. According to this text, she is simply sitting at Jesus feet and listening to him and learning from him. [00:30:30] (18 seconds) #BreakingCulturalBarriers

And we truly, we need to relearn how to stop our busyness and distraction and to be present in focused, like Mary, as Jesus advises, because there really is need of only the one thing. Following God. [00:34:09] (21 seconds) #DailyDivineConnection

Mary chose to sit still at the feet of her teacher, Jesus. And we too are called to stop, to put aside our many tasks and everything that distracts us, and to sit at Jesus feet, to listen to God in spirit. As Christians, as followers of Jesus, followers of the way, we are called to do this every day, every day. [00:34:31] (27 seconds) #ListeningForGod

We can pray to God, we can read the Scriptures, we can read other holy and devotional books. We can be present to God and God's presence to us. And we can listen for the still small voice of the Holy Spirit in our hearts. It's there. It's always there. God is always reaching out. [00:35:09] (21 seconds) #UniversalSabbath

``Jesus invitation is so relevant and. And his words invite us to a place of greater health, mentally, physically and spiritually. So may his words soak into our souls so that every one of us and our families can heed that call to stop, to slow down, to be present, to sit at his feet, to listen to God, the listen to Holy Spirit. Because as Jesus said, there is need of only one thing. [00:39:18] (38 seconds)

Let us begin in a world that tries to impose its values on us. Live the way of God, challenge injustice, aid those in need. Listen intently and do not be preoccupied with busyness. Share what you have heard so that together we may transform the world into the beloved community of God. Go with the strength God gives us, the love God gives us through Jesus and the fire the Holy Spirit offers to keep us going no matter what. Amen. Go in peace. [00:54:39] (37 seconds)

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