Love at Home

“AND SHE HAD A SISTER CALLED MARY, WHICH ALSO SAT AT JESUS’ FEET, AND HEARD HIS WORD.” — Luke X. 39.

THE family at Bethany was highly favored by being permitted to entertain our Lord so often.

They all appreciated the privilege, but Mary made the wisest use of it.

Martha sought to serve the Lord with her very best.

Mary was full of love to Jesus, as we know by her anointing him, and therefore she also would serve him with her very best.

She did so by attending to his words.

She was a wise and saintly woman, and our Lord commended her chosen method of service.

It will be safe, therefore, for us to follow her example.

Let us learn from the woman who sat as a learner at the feet of our Lord, and thus taught us to choose the good part,

Here we see —

I. LOVE AT LEISURE. “Which also sat at Jesus’ feet.” When the evening comes on, and all the members of the family are around the fireside, then love rests and communes, forgetting all care, happily at home, oblivious of the outside world, and of time itself.

(183)

Like Mary —

We would feel ourselves quite at home with

Jesus our Lord. We would be free from worldly care — leaving

all with Jesus. We would even be free from the care of his

service, the battle for his Kingdom, and the

burden of the souls committed to our charge. We would sweetly enjoy the happy leisure

which he provides for us, as we muse upon

the rest-giving themes which he reveals so

clearly, and makes so true to us — His work for us, finished, accepted, abidingly

effectual, and perpetually overflowing with

priceless blessings. His great gifts received, which are greater

than those to come. All other needful and promised benedictions

of grace, sure to come in due season. Rom.

viii. 32. All our future, for time and for eternity, safe

in his dear hands. Let us, without fear, enjoy leisure with Jesus —

leisure, but not laziness: — leisure to love, to

learn, to commune, to copy. Leisure in a home where others are cumbered.

See verses 40-42.

Leisure to sit, and to sit in the most delightful of all places.

II. LOVE IN LOWLINESS. “At Jesus’ feet.”

In this lowliness let each one personally copy Mary.

Say unto yourself, “I choose the feet of Jesus to be my place.” Let me be —

Not a busy housewife and manager, which am one may be, and yet be graceless; but —

1. A penitent, which is an acknowledgment of

my unworthiness.

2. A disciple, which is a confession of my ignorance.

3. A receiver, which is an admission of my emptiness.

This posture benefits me when I think of what JL was, what I am, what I must be, what my Lord is, and what he is to inc.

Let me bless his condescending love, which permits me this bliss.

III. LOVE LISTENING. t; And heard his word.”

She could not have heard if she had not been at leisure to sit, nor if she had not been lowly, and chosen to sit at his feet.

Be it ours to hear that love- word which says, “Hearken, O daughter, and consider:” Ps. xlv. 10.

Listening to what Jesus says in his Word, in his creation, in his providence, and by his Spirit in our soul.

Listening to the tones and accents with which he emphasizes and sweetens all that he says.

Listening to himself. Studying him, reading his very heart.

Listening, and not obtruding our own self-formed thoughts, notions, reasonings, questionings, desires, and prejudices.

Listening, and forgetting the observations and un beliefs of others.

Listening, and bidding all cares lie still, that they may no more disturb the reverent silence of the heart.

How sweet! How instructive! How truly “the good part!”

IV. LOVE IN POSSESSION.

She had obtained her Lord, his love, his presence, his word, his fellowship, and she sat there in full enjoyment to delight her soul with that which she had so joyfully lighted upon.

She had in this one thing supplied her soul’s necessity, and so she sat down in perfect satisfaction.

She had her Lord’s promise that she should riot be robbed of it, and she sat down in full assurance, to be happy in her possession.

Her Lord’s promise assured her that she should not lose the good part, which she had chosen — By a cold word from her Lord. By the angry expostulation of her sister. By any future affliction, or temptation, or occupation.

Nor even by death itself.

Now, then, she rests in resolute constancy: she has reached her ultimatum: she will go no further than her Lord and his word.

Oh, to be more with Jesus! This is true life. Oh, to hear Jesus more! This is true service.

Ob, to love Jesus more! This is true treasure. Oh, to abide with Jesus, and never dream of going- beyond him! This is true wisdom.

QUIET MORSELS.

Behold Mary, all reverence, all attention, all composure, feeding on the doctrine of eternal life — she “sat at Jesus’ feet.” She wisely and zealously improved the opportunity given her for the good of her soul. “This is my summer, my harvest: let me redeem the time.” — Jay.

Mary sitteth to hear the word, as Christ used to sit when he preached the word (Matthew v.; Luke xiv.; John viii.); to show that the word is to be preached and heard with a quiet mind. In a still night, /ery voice is heard, and when the body is quiet 1 .>.o mind most commonly is quiet r o... When JUT minds are quiet, we are fit to deal with heavenly matters; therefore the doctors conferred sitting in the temple, and God delighteth to deal with us when we are most in private: he appeared to Abraham sitting in the door of his tent. (Gen. xviii.) The Holy Ghost came down upon the Apostles, and filled all the house where they were sitting (Acts ii.) The eunuch, sitting in his chariot, was called and converted by Philip’s preaching. (Acts viii.) — Henry Smith.

Whether shall we praise more, Mary’s humility or her docility? I do not see her take a stool and sit by him, or a chair and sit above him; but, as desiring to show her heart was as low as her knees, she sits at his feet. She was lowly set and richly warmed with his heavenly beams. The greater submission, the more grace. If there be one hollow in the valley lower than another, thither the waters gather. — Bishop Hall.

Dr. Chalmers complained: “I am hustled out of my spirituality.”

At the foot of Jesus, listening to His word; Learning wisdom’s lesson from her loving Lord;

Mary, led by heavenly grace,

Chose the meek disciple’s place. At the feet of Jesus is the place for me; There a humble learner would I choose to be. Sacred Songs and Solos.