Choose the Good Portion: How Starting Your Day in God’s Word Changes Everything
Every morning we wake up with a series of choices to make. What will we wear? What will we have for breakfast? What time will we leave for work? But there is one choice that is perhaps the most important: will we spend time in God’s Word? While some of us choose to have quiet time in the evening, most strive to have quiet time in the morning. We may have even established a morning routine that involves opening the Bible before we get ready for the day or as we are sipping our coffee. However, just because we desire to spend time in God’s Word and may even have a Bible study routine does not mean we actually choose to be in Scripture daily.
The morning comes with choices but also distractions and thoughts. Our phones can distract us with emails or text messages. Our minds can be full of thoughts and worries over the different aspects of our day. These kinds of distractions and thoughts can shift our focus away from God’s Word and onto less important matters. As a result, we can end up choosing to do things over reading the Bible. If we do not focus our attention on Scripture, our mornings can be hurried, and we can feel overwhelmed, all because we do not choose time in God’s Word.
Mary, Marth, and spending time with Jesus
In Luke 10:38–42, we read a story in which two sisters made two different choices. When Jesus came to the home of Mary and Martha, Martha chose to serve Jesus food, while Mary chose to learn from Jesus. Martha wasn’t doing anything wrong by desiring to serve Jesus, but the text tells us that Martha was “distracted by her many tasks.” She was so focused on serving Christ that she became frustrated that her sister wasn’t helping her. This frustration led her to ask Jesus to tell Mary to help her. Sometimes we can put down Martha in this passage, but if we were honest, we are like Martha many times. We can allow ourselves to be distracted by tasks, even good tasks, that keep us from spending time with Jesus.
Jesus reveals this truth to Martha after she speaks to him. We do not know how Jesus spoke to Martha in this passage, but I imagine that his voice was gentle and kind. Perhaps he took Martha’s hand and looked into her flustered face as he said, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has made the right choice, and it will not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:41–42). Some translations, such as the ESV, translate “the right choice” to “the good portion.” Both communicate that between involving oneself with tasks and sitting at the feet of Christ, Mary chose what was best.
Why Mary made the best choice
Why did Mary choose what was best? Because regardless of the choices ahead of us, choosing to sit at the feet of Jesus is the most important. Jesus is our good portion. Jesus is our friend, Lord, and Savior. Jesus is all that we need. Therefore, we are to sit at His feet daily, primarily by being in God’s Word. Choosing to spend time with Christ, soaking up and studying God’s Word, deepens our relationship with God. Being in Scripture grows us in our knowledge of God and His Word, fueling us with truth we need for our day. And time in God’s Word cultivates peace and joy within our hearts, distilling our worries and removing our distractions. In essence, when we choose the good portion by spending time with Christ in His Word, we are never disappointed.
Christ invites to sit at His feet every morning. He invites us to learn more about who He is and rest in who He is by opening up the pages of God’s Word. But will we accept this invitation or will we allow ourselves to be consumed with tasks or anxious thoughts? Among the many choices that face us each morning, let us choose time in Scripture. Let us choose to prioritize communion with our God and Savior. Let us choose the good portion.
Additional resources for reading the Bible
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https://thedailygraceco.com/products/write-the-word-journal-cultivate-faith
