"Martha, Martha...." Part 10

             "...Mary has chosen the better portion, and it will not be taken away from her."

The "gospel of God" (or, the "gospel of Christ": Romans 15;16, Galatians 1;7)  is all about "choices":

* God chooses His elect people (Mark 13;20, John 6;70, Romans 11;5, Matthew 22;14)
* Jesus is the chosen servant of the Father who will accomplish His will (Matthew 12;18, Luke 9;35, 23;35)
* Paul was "God's chosen instrument" to carry the name of the Lord before the Gentiles (Acts 9;15)
* Christ is the "..living Stone...chosen and precious cornerstone" and His people "are a chosen people, a  
   royal priesthood..." (I Peter 2;4, 6, 9)
* All people everywhere are commanded to choose who they will love, serve, trust, worship and obey, and 
   by implication who they will choose NOT to love, serve, trust, worship and obey (Joshua 24;15,
   I Peter 4;3)
* The ability to choose to "turn from idols to serve the living and true God" (I Thessalonians 1;9) is an act of
   faith, and that faith is a gift of God (Ephesians 2; 8)

In the account of Martha and Mary, Jesus commends Mary for the choice she has made ("Mary has chosen the better portion..."). What is the choice that Mary is making that Jesus commends her for? For Mary to choose Christ as the "better portion" is to realize that in Christ alone is found the completeness that her soul longs for. Among the many blessings ("portions") that Mary could want or ask for from God (money, riches, property, inheritance, beauty, security, comfort, peace, power, pleasure, comfort, safety, etc) she considers intimate fellowship with Christ to be the supreme best that God offers her and that she wants most. Like King David ("You are my portion, O Lord": Psalm 119;57), Asaph ("My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion forever": Psalm 73;26), and the master of the wedding banquet ("Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best (portion) till now": John 2;10) Mary considers Jesus most precious and beautiful.
How about you? Right now, what or who is occupying that place of supreme importance, priority and devotion in your heart? The busy days activities? Concern for the children? Bills needing to be paid, debt looming overhead? Cancer diagnosis? Vacation coming? Foreclosure coming? Or, God's "indescribable gift" (II Corinthians 9;15) to you who believe? CHOOSE!