Worship and Rest | Luke 10:38-42
How many of you struggle with distraction? We live in an age of constant distraction. We live in an ADHD world of multitasking which ultimately means our attention is scattered and we are stressed out. A study found that the average person touches their phone 2,617 times a day. 33% of Americans check their phones in the middle of the night just in case they miss something. We are addicted to the dopamine that we get every time we get a ding or a buzz on our phones. There is perhaps nothing more demanding of our attention and presence than our phones. Distraction does not produce healthy, balanced, productive people but the opposite. Distraction keeps us from being in the moment; it keeps us from having meaningful conversations; it keeps us from being focused on the important issues rather than the urgent. It is difficult to have a real conversation or give undivided attention because of distractions. Resting is about reorienting and reassuring our hearts and minds in God. It requires that we put away things that distract us from the most important things and focus on Who ultimately matters.
In Luke 10, Jesus is training His disciples to be disciples who make disciples. He has now set His face towards Jerusalem and his time is getting short. He is using everyday interactions as teaching points for his disciples to prepare them. Ch. 10 is all about ministry and life with Jesus. The interesting thing about Jesus is that He was constantly busy but never in a hurry. He always took the time to live in the moment and enjoy the opportunities He had. At the end of Ch. 10, Luke tells a story that only appears in his gospel about two sisters who loved Jesus but one was very distracted in her love for Jesus. The story is an example of how the distractions of life can keep us from the presence of Jesus. In this story, Jesus is going to teach us that being is greater than doing and that worship is better than worrying.