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Quiet omenTs FeeT Jesus

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Introduction

Mary and Martha were two sisters from Bethany. Martha, like many of us, was a hard worker. She was someone who adhered to a schedule and became frustrated when others did not. When guests came to her home, Martha worked tirelessly to please them. We assume her home was spotless and the food she prepared delicious. e Bible doesn’t tell us if Martha was an older sister to Mary, but she wasn’t timid demanding that her sister help with the preparations. e apostle Paul tells us to work hard as if we are working for the Lord (Ephesians 6:5). And that is exactly what Martha did: She worked hard to please her guest, Jesus. It’s good to work hard to please our Lord and Savior, but there’s something even better—and Mary knew what it was. She had learned to quiet the distractions and sit at the feet of Jesus, listening to what He said.

You can become a Mary in a Martha world by spending quiet time with Jesus, by praying, reading your Bible, and learning from Him. e devotions in this book will guide you to rest in His presence and hang on His every word.

More than a Man

For to us a Child will be born. To us a Son will be given. And the rule of the nations will be on His shoulders. His name will be called Wonderful, Teacher, Powerful God, Father Who Lives Forever, Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9:6

Mary knew Jesus was more than a man, a friend, and a guest in her home. He was wonderful in an indescribable way. He spoke the words of God, His teaching was powerful, and Mary knew she would forever hold His words inside her heart. She sat in awe of the aura of peace surrounding Him. is man, this friend, was unlike any other. He was sent from God, and Mary knew it.

When you quiet yourself and sit at the feet of Jesus, remember who He is. You are in the presence of the one “called Wonderful, Teacher, Powerful God, Father Who Lives Forever, Prince of Peace.” What an awesome privilege to welcome Him into your heart and your home! Jesus wants to be your everything. He wants you to shut out all the distractions and sit quietly with Him. en He will speak to your heart and teach you, as He did Mary.

Jesus is saying to you today, “See! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in” (Revelation 3:20).

Jesus, I welcome You into my heart and my home. Amen.

The Purveyor of Peace

“ ‘ is house will be even greater than it was before,’ says the Lord of All. ‘And in this place I will give peace,’ says the Lord of All.”

Haggai 2:9

If Jesus were a guest in your home, which would you be: a Mary or a Martha? Be honest. We all wish we were Marys, but more than likely we are Marthas. If Jesus were our guest, we would want everything to be perfect, but Jesus loves coming where things are imperfect. He wants to bring peace to messy places—where there is clutter, confusion, and even chaos.

Jesus is the purveyor of peace. When we shut our eyes to all the imperfections surrounding us and focus only on Him—when we listen, learn from Him, and put His teaching into action—then our homes will become even greater than they were before. His peace will ow through us and into our families. When we become better at resting quietly with Jesus, then we can model for others what it means to nd peace in every situation and live in peace with each other.

Wherever you are right now, close your eyes and do your best to shut out any noise or distracting thoughts. Imagine that you are Mary. . .sitting at the feet of Jesus.

Lord Jesus, help me to block out all the distractions and turn my thoughts toward You. Amen.

Rest in Him

“Come to Me, all of you who work and have heavy loads. I will give you rest.”

Matthew 11:28

Resting in Jesus can mean setting aside a speci c time each day to pray, read the Bible, and sit quietly in His presence. . .or it can mean taking a few minutes in the middle of chaos to connect with Him and nd peace. e latter kind of rest is like the em dash (—) that writers use to indicate a break—a break longer than, for example, a comma. Resting in Jesus can be as easy as closing your eyes, taking a deep breath, and asking Him to calm you. It is as simple as whispering, “Jesus, help me to carry this load.” Resting in Him means learning to pause and connect with Him, not only at a speci c time of day, but all throughout the day. e Billy Graham Library o ers this quote from the great evangelist: “Jesus was a man of feverish activity. He went everywhere doing good. Even though it was feverish activity, there was a calmness and a serenity about him.”* is is our goal: to become more like Jesus and walk, even in feverish activity, with a sense of calmness and serenity—to be at peace.

Here I am, Lord. Teach me to become more like You. Even when my load is heavy, help me to stay calm and be at peace. Amen.

* “10 Quotes from Billy Graham on Rest,” Billy Graham Library, November 8, 2019, https://billygrahamlibrary.org/blog-10-quotes-from-billy-graham-on-rest/.

My Quiet Place

e apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. en, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”

Mark 6:30–31 niv

Today’s scripture helps us imagine what it was like to be one of Jesus’ disciples. People constantly came and went. Crowds followed them because they wanted to see Jesus and hear Him teach. By the end of the day when the disciples reported to Jesus all they had done, they were worn out and hungry. Jesus could have said, “Well done,” and released them from their day’s work. But instead He said, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” Jesus knew it was important for them not only to work for Him but to rest in Him. He knew where to lead the disciples. With Him, they would nd a kind of rest unlike any other.

Do you have a quiet place, somewhere you can escape from your work and nd rest? It can be a real place or even somewhere you imagine. When you feel overworked or stressed, get into the habit of going to that place, if only in your thoughts, and rest there awhile with Jesus.

Dear Jesus, please take me to a quiet place where I can be with You and rest. Amen.

Green Grass and Quiet Waters

He lets me rest in elds of green grass. He leads me beside the quiet waters. He makes me strong again.

Psalm 23:2–3

Her work as a district attorney left Christine feeling emotionally tired. Sometimes she agonized over having to prosecute when, instead, her heart wished to show mercy. Worries kept her awake at night, and she was unable to put them to rest.

At church one Sunday, her pastor’s sermon was about the Twenty- ird Psalm. When he read aloud, “He lets me rest in elds of green grass. He leads me beside the quiet waters. He makes me strong again,” Christine felt the Holy Spirit leading her to spend more quiet time with the Lord. She knew that her worries had resulted in an unsettled soul, and she vowed to make Jesus her highest priority and to trust Him to guide her. Christine began praying while at work. Soon she discovered that even a minute or two with Jesus refreshed her strength and quieted her soul.

Spending just a few minutes with Jesus while you work can help to relieve your worries and make a world of di erence in your day. Rest with Him in elds of green grass beside quiet waters. Allow Jesus to make you strong again.

Lord Jesus, please meet me where I am today. Renew my strength and quiet my soul. Give me wisdom and guide me. Amen.

In the Morning

In the morning before the sun was up, Jesus went to a place where He could be alone. He prayed there.

Mark 1:35

I come to the garden alone, While the dew is still on the roses; And the voice I hear, falling on my ear, e Son of God discloses. And He walks with me, and He talks with me, And He tells me I am His own; And the joy we share as we tarry there, None other has ever known.

C. Austin Miles penned these words to the hymn “In the Garden” in 1912. His lyrics evoke an image of peace, of meeting Jesus in a garden in the morning before the world wakes up.

Today’s scripture tells us that Jesus went before sunrise to a place where He could be alone and pray.

Are you an early riser? e early morning is a time free from distractions, making it easier to hear Jesus’ voice inside your heart. Making Jesus the rst one you talk with in the morning can ll you with a sense of peace and joy that lasts. Even if you can’t spend a lot of time with Him in the morning, waking up with a prayer on your lips and a song in your heart is sure to brighten your day.

Good morning, Jesus. Come, walk with me and talk with me. Fill my heart with a sense of lasting peace and joy. Amen.

Quiet Spirit

Your beauty should come from the inside. It should come from the heart. is is the kind that lasts. Your beauty should be a gentle and quiet spirit.

In God’s sight this is of great worth and no amount of money can buy it. 1 Peter 3:4

Mary sat at Jesus’ feet, not just listening but paying attention to His every word. She wanted to learn from Jesus. She wanted to become wise, like He was.

Mary was the sister with a quiet spirit. You probably know someone like her. She’s the friend who listens—really listens—when you tell her your troubles. She doesn’t interrupt. If she o ers advice, it is given gently and with love. She’s the one who tries to understand, to sympathize or empathize. Her spirit radiates care, concern, and strength that comes from what she’s learned from her Lord. She desires, each day, to act and react as He would and to become more like Him.

e Bible tells us that in God’s sight a quiet, gentle spirit is beautiful. It is of great worth—so valuable that it cannot be bought. It comes from a heart full of Jesus’ love.

Examine your spirit. Before you act or react today, consider what Jesus might say or do. en try your best to become more like Him.

Lord, please give me a gentle and quiet spirit. Lead me to show love, care, and grace to everyone I meet. Amen.

Fruitful Spirit

But the fruit that comes from having the Holy Spirit in our lives is: love, joy, peace, not giving up, being kind, being good, having faith, being gentle, and being the boss over our own desires.

Galatians 5:22–23

When you seek to become more like Jesus, you will discover that certain qualities of your personality begin to grow. Just as a tree grows and bears fruit, so does your spirit. It can produce characteristics that not only bene t you but that you can share with others to nourish and sustain them—traits like love, joy, peace, persistence, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

A fruitful spirit imitates Jesus’ giving spirit. In hard times, a fruitful spirit is faithful and doesn’t give up. It puts the needs of others before its own. It is a strong but peaceful spirit that leads others toward nding their own strength and peace.

How do we acquire a fruitful spirit? By asking Jesus to live inside our hearts and allowing Him to lead us in all things (Galatians 5:25). It comes from sitting at the feet of Jesus every single day with a desire to listen and learn—and then to apply what we learn.

Dear Jesus, grow within me those characteristics that please You. Make them bear fruit so I can share them with others. Amen.

Loving Spirit

Work hard to live together as one by the help of the Holy Spirit. en there will be peace.

Ephesians 4:3

A religious law keeper said to Jesus, “Teacher, which one is the greatest of the Laws?” Jesus replied, “ ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ is is the rst and greatest of the Laws. e second is like it, ‘You must love your neighbor as you love yourself.’ All the Laws and the writings of the early preachers depend on these two most important Laws” (Matthew 22:36–40).

Memorize Jesus’ words and keep them inside your heart. When we love the Lord with all our hearts and when we keep Him foremost in our minds, His Holy Spirit will lead us toward living together in peace.

Peace comes from loving others the same way God loves us—with gentleness, compassion, mercy, forgiveness, faithfulness, sacri ce, and grace. at kind of love might seem impossible in today’s world, but still, we must try. If we treat others with love, especially when it’s di cult, we don’t only show them what it means to have a loving spirit; we also demonstrate what it means to be loved by God. Do your best today to have a peaceful and loving spirit. Share it with everyone you meet.

Oh Lord, please help me to love others with Your kind of love. Amen.

Forgiving Spirit

O Lord, in You I have found a safe place. . . . Set me free, because You do what is right and good.

Psalm 31:1

While working as a public defender, Christine witnessed a variety of emotions in the courtroom: sobs spilling from broken hearts, looks of loathing and disgust, angry outbursts. . . But there was one emotion that always brought Christine to tears—forgiveness.

Beyond all understanding, there were victims who somehow found it in their hearts to forgive. ey didn’t forgive what had hurt them, but by the power of God’s love they forgave who had hurt them. ey put into action David’s words in Psalm 31:1: “O Lord, in You I have found a safe place. . . . Set me free, because You do what is right and good.”

Trusting the Lord to judge and punish according to His will had helped bring peace to these victims’ hearts. Releasing their anger and hurt to Jesus began to set them free.

Forgiveness is hard, especially when it comes from a place of deep pain. Jesus doesn’t want our hearts to remain broken. First Peter 5:7 says, “Give all your worries to Him because He cares for you.” We can nd peace only when we give Jesus our burdens and then allow Him to heal our wounds.

Lord Jesus, You are the judge of all wrongs. Please free me from the burden of unforgiveness. Heal me and give me peace. Amen.

Quick to Judge

“Do not judge, or you too will be judged.”

Matthew 7:1 niv

“Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me alone to do all the work? Tell her to help me” (Luke 10:40 ncv). Martha spoke to Jesus as her sister, Mary, sat at His feet listening to His words. Martha hadn’t heard their conversation. She was distracted by preparing their meal. What she saw was her sister sitting on the oor doing nothing while she did all the work.

Oh, how quickly we judge by appearance! at dirty homeless man on the street corner? If we looked beyond his appearance and into his heart, we might feel compassion instead of disgust. If we could see into the hearts of everyone we meet, then we might be less judgmental—we would see them through Jesus’ eyes.

“Martha, Martha,” Jesus answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better” (Luke 10:41–42 niv).

Do not judge, or you too will be judged. When Martha spoke up, judging her sister, Jesus in turn judged Martha’s words. He helped her to notice what she hadn’t seen before.

When you sit quietly with Jesus today, ask Him if you have judged others unfairly. Ask Him to open your eyes to their hearts.

Jesus, I have been guilty of judging others without knowing what’s inside their hearts. Help me to see them as You see them, Lord. Help me to see the truth. Amen.

Gentle Spirit

“Follow My teachings and learn from Me. I am gentle and do not have pride. You will have rest for your souls.”

Matthew 11:29

Jesus said, “Follow My teachings and learn from Me.” We learn from Jesus not only by reading His words in the Bible but by observing His character. How did Jesus act and react? How did He interact with others? Jesus could have been prideful. He was God’s Son, the one chosen to save the world. He was the King of all kings, the Lord of all lords. But He had no pride. Jesus was humble, caring, and kind. By example, He taught others what it means to have a gentle spirit.

What is a gentle spirit? A gentle spirit centers on the needs of others. It is a shoulder to cry on, ears that listen, and a voice that speaks softly even amid anger and strife. A gentle spirit loves when loving is hard. It forgives when forgiving is hard. It is Jesus working through us to bring peace to the world. Cultivating our own gentle spirit brings rest to our souls.

e next time you read the Gospels, pay attention to Jesus’ gentleness. Learn from Him, follow Him, and nd rest for your soul.

Dear Jesus, teach me to have a gentle spirit that is loving, caring, and kind even when it’s di cult. And teach me, Jesus, to become more like You. Amen.

Young Branches

e Lord God says, “I will also take a young branch from the very top of the cedar tree and plant it. I will break a soft new one from the very top of its young branches, and plant it on a high mountain.”

Ezekiel 17:22

In her autobiography Leading with My Heart, Virginia Kelley said that nothing refreshes your spirit or strengthens your determination to improve the world quite like the arrival of a newborn baby.* Her words echo those of all parents who pray to guide their children to love and follow Jesus and make the world better.

In Ezekiel 17:22, God speaks of taking a soft young branch from the very top of a cedar tree and planting it atop a high mountain. We can imagine from that vantage point one could see the world—the good, the evil, and the things that need to change.

Jesus had a quiet, gentle spirit. But Jesus was also rm— rm in His resolve to turn hearts toward God and rebuke evil and sin. He didn’t act out of anger. Instead, Jesus used steadfast words to speak the truth and to teach.

Children are those young branches that God planted on the mountaintop. If we teach the children in our lives with a gentle but rm spirit, like Jesus, then we can hope they will have a positive impact on the world.

Lord, guide me to teach children as You would, with a spirit that is gentle but rm. Amen.

*Virginia Kelley with James Morgan, Leading with My Heart: My Life (Pocket Books, 1995), 247.

Joyful Spirit

“You are happy when people act and talk in a bad way to you and make it very hard for you and tell bad things and lies about you because you trust in Me.”

Matthew 5:11

In his 1778 hymn “Martha and Mary,” John Newton wrote:

Martha her love and joy expressed By care to entertain her guest; While Mary sat to hear her Lord, And could not bear to lose a word. . .

But Mary chose the better part, Her Saviour’s words refreshed her heart; While busy Martha angry grew, And lost her time and temper too.

A joyful spirit is contentment, even when people speak against you and make life hard for you. Martha found joy in serving Jesus, and while that was admirable, Mary chose what was better. She found joy sitting quietly with Jesus, listening to Him, and loving Him.

Do you have a joyful spirit? It’s characterized by an attitude of hope, positivity, and, most of all, faith—faith that no matter what happens, Jesus loves you and He will refresh your heart.

Dear Jesus, give me an attitude of contentment and hope. Bless me with the kind of joy that comes from trusting in You. Amen.

She Wanted It All

But the one who lives only for the joy she can receive from this world is the same as dead even if she is alive.

1 Timothy 5:6

Maybe you know her. She’s the woman who wants a rich, handsome husband, designer clothing, fashionable friends, exotic vacations, a successful career. . . She wants to be seen, admired, loved, listened to, understood, and obeyed. She’s the woman who wants it all! But even with all she has acquired and accomplished, it’s still not enough. Nothing she has and nothing she’s done brings her lasting joy. She feels dead inside, wanting more.

e apostle Paul wrote to his friend Timothy, “ e one who lives only for the joy she can receive from this world is the same as dead even if she is alive.” Paul knew that the missing piece was Jesus.

Jesus said, “A love for riches and always wanting other things let thorns grow. ese things do not give the Word room to grow” (Mark 4:19). When worldly things come before Jesus, there is no lasting joy. But loving and trusting in Him brings us joy on earth and the hope of everlasting joy with Him in heaven.

What brings you joy? Does Jesus come rst in your life?

Jesus, help me to let go of any distractions that keep me from putting You rst in my life and nding everlasting joy. Amen.

Faith over Fear

Jesus said to them, “For sure, I tell you this: If you have faith and do not doubt, you will. . .be able to say to this mountain, ‘Move from here and be thrown into the sea,’ and it will be done.”

Matthew 21:21

Do you feel God leading you to do something you’re afraid of, something that seems impossible? If so, you are not alone.

God chose Moses to lead the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt. In Exodus 4 Moses says, “What if they will not believe me or listen to me? . . . Lord, I am not a man of words. I have never been. . . . I am slow in talking and it is di cult for me to speak. . . . O Lord, I ask of You, send some other person” (verses 1, 10, 13). e task seemed impossible. Doubting that he was able hindered Moses’ faith that with God all things are possible (Matthew 19:26).

Jesus says that faith without doubt makes it possible for us to move mountains. e mountain in Matthew 21:21 is a metaphor for a perceived insurmountable obstacle. Faith along with prayer allows God’s power to work through us. It makes us strong.

When Moses let faith conquer fear, he was able to free God’s people and lead them to the Promised Land.

Don’t let fear shatter your faith. With God’s help, you can move mountains.

Lord, let’s move this mountain together. With Your help, it’s possible. Amen.

Strong Spirit

“But I have prayed for you. I have prayed that your faith will be strong and that you will not give up.”

Luke 22:32

Whether in sports, at work, or while learning a new skill, it can be rewarding to face challenges head-on. But what about life’s challenges? Health issues, crumbling relationships, dwindling nances. . . We wish we could give up rather than face what’s ahead—but we can’t. We need to be strong.

If you struggle with feeling strong in adversity, Psalm 121 can help. Memorize it so it’s always in your heart:

I will lift up my eyes to the mountains. Where will my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth. He will not let your feet go out from under you. He Who watches over you will not sleep. Listen, He Who watches over Israel will not close his eyes or sleep. e Lord watches over you. e Lord is your safe cover at your right hand. e sun will not hurt you during the day and the moon will not hurt you during the night. e Lord will keep you from all that is sinful. He will watch over your soul. e Lord will watch over your coming and going, now and forever.

Our Lord is faithful. He will help you and make you strong.

Jesus, You are my hope when I want to give up. You are my strength when I’m weary. Amen.