November 2025 Writen by Amy Davies
Jesus’ Encounter with Mary and Martha
Welcome to the next edition of our deep dive into Colossians 2:6-7. Today we move into verse 7 where Paul continues to describe the Christian life, having received Jesus as Lord, continuing to live our lives in Him…
This time we will focus on what it means to be ‘Rooted in Him’.
Rooted
The Biblical definition of being rooted in Christ signifies a deeply connected, firmly established, enduring relationship with our Lord and Saviour. A bond characterised by a firm foundation of faith, strength, stability and growth. Each characteristic is found in the imagery of a plant’s roots - the very essence of a firm foundation, enabling a strong and stable plant to grow and flourish.
God’s Word points us towards this image on several occasions, symbolising the importance of nourishment and resilience in our Christian walk.
In Jeremiah 17:7-8 a trusting person is compared to a tree - a picture of strength and fruitfulness.
Just as a tree with strong roots can withstand the harshest of storms, so we too can stand firm through the toughest trials, if only we fix our eyes on Jesus, trusting Him above all. It sounds so easy, yet what a challenge! I love this imagery, and long for nothing more than to be able to stand firm when the winds of life start howling around me and the rains come lashing down. But I’m sure I can’t be the only one who so often ends up feeling battered and bruised by life’s circumstances, blown over, fighting to regain the strength to get back up again. What am I missing, where am I going wrong?
Two things stand out to me in this verse, the promise of one rooted in God who ‘does not fear’ and ‘is not anxious’. What powerful words! For someone who has battled anxiety and fear since infancy, this statement seems pretty much impossible. Yet don’t I believe in the God of possibility? In today’s world it feels like everything is speeding up, running on the hamster wheel called life, pressure and responsibility pressing in on every side. With bad news only a click away, we are bombarded by negativity, a breeding ground for anxiety and fear. Though consumerism suggests we are the most connected we have ever been, it’s in this
instant connectivity that we find ourselves left most vulnerable and exposed. We are distracted - pulled in so many directions we don’t know where to turn.
Distraction Vs. Devotion
In Jesus’ day there may not have been smart phones and gadgets galore, but there were still distractions aplenty. One short yet significant story found in the gospel of Luke demonstrates the stark contrast between distraction and devotion, anxiety and peace. The story of Martha and Mary.
We meet these sisters at their home in Bethany, where Martha is busy preparing a meal for Jesus, distracted by all the cooking and cleaning, whilst Mary sits at the Lord’s feet…
As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”
Here we find Martha in meltdown. She has had enough. Flustered and frustrated, Martha has been running here, there and everywhere to make the house presentable and a meal fit for the visiting Rabbi. But where was Mary?! She had given her a list of jobs to do, surely it was her duty too, what on earth was she doing? Martha bustles about the kitchen, getting hotter and hotter, until finally she storms into the living room and demands an audience with the Lord Jesus. Did nobody care that her sister had left her to make all the preparations by herself? Surely Jesus would bring her back in line and demand she return to the kitchen at once!
Haven’t we all been there at some point in our lives? Taken on too much, become overwhelmed and resentful as we watch those around us without a care in the world? Held such high expectations that we become consumed by our own grand plans and ideas, exalting ourselves as we imagine the praise to be received for our incredible efforts, forgetting the very reason we began - to serve the Lord. Martha was doing the right things at the wrong level. There’s no sin in service, Martha’s actions were applaudable - yet it was her attitude that needed editing. In her agitation, she even tells Jesus what to do!
It’s not unusual to begin a task feeling on fire for the Lord, honoured to serve Him, heart full of desire to meet a need, only to end up feeling defeated and discouraged. How often the spirit of obligation comes along and steals our joy as we are engulfed by preparations that have to be made. We can turn from missionaries to manipulators - I’m sure Martha never intended to lose her rag. I expect her heart began in a place of positivity, excited to make the preparations for such a special visit. Yet as she got lost in the weight of responsibility, she became so consumed by perfectionism, by the mountain of work to be done, she resorted to lashing out at others, trying to control their actions rather than stopping to take a look at her own.
Yet w
hat a beautiful response from Jesus. I imagine His voice full of love and His eyes with compassion as He repeats her name “Martha, Martha”. Jesus could rebuke her for this disrespectful outburst, but He offers her gentle correction. He speaks truth and light into her troubled heart - she is worried and upset about many things, yet only one thing is needed.
What a picture we see in Martha - encapsulating the chaos and anxiety we so often experience in our daily lives. Work to be done, lists to be completed; school runs, after school clubs, families to feed, houses to clean, bills to pay, money to earn, church rotas to serve on. The demands can seem endless! Yet what hope we find in Jesus’ response as He calls us to the ‘better part’ chosen by Mary and reminds us of the simplicity of following Him. Jesus isn’t asking us to do more, be more, achieve more; in fact if anything it's just the opposite - He requests we put down some of the pieces of performance. God isn’t interested in competitors, vying for first prize. Our loving Father desires companions and connection.
The Better Part
So what is this better part that Mary has chosen? I believe it is deep roots. In the rush of activity around her, Mary opted to be still. She chose to be seated - to rest in His presence, to listen for His voice, to find peace amidst the hustle and bustle. In doing so, Mary would have been nourished, strengthened, grounded. What was she grounded in? The love of Jesus, felt in His every word. We may not have the blessing of Jesus physically standing before us, we may not audibly hear His voice, yet as Paul prays in Ephesians 3:16-19, by the power of His Spirit dwelling in our hearts through faith, we may be rooted and established in love.
One thing that stands out to me is that Mary chose - so often we are drowning in the wash of circumstances and we forget the one thing we have in life - a choice. For me, there’s a battle in my mind. I am overwhelmed with a barrage of negativity vying for my attention, thoughts swirling round my head. There is no peace, no rest. It’s easy to forget that, through Christ, I am empowered to overcome the enemy’s lies - my thoughts are within my control - I can rebuke them! Whilst we cannot necessarily choose the circumstances life throws at us, we can choose our response. We can choose our priorities, and we can choose where we fix our eyes and ears, our hearts and minds.
So I wonder today, are we choosing the better part - devotion over distraction? Are we worried and upset about many things, or do we know the peace of God? What percentage of our time do we spend seated, as opposed to serving? There’s a special place for both in the Lord’s heart yet I imagine we could serve so much better if we first took the time to be seated in His presence and filled with His love.
