“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”
Luke 10:41-42 NIVV
Today started out in Jericho, then we traveled to Bethany. Not knowing what to expect and knowing we would be walking in His footsteps on the same terrain, I began to realize that perhaps this place is not as different today as it was back then. It is still a place of extremes. Modern bustling cities, desert land, mountain tops, and destinations 1,000 feet below sea level. There is limestone, sand, minimal vegetation, and hardly any water, yet it is a place where our Lord walked, ministered, and preached. He went down into this hot, rough, tense place to be with us. It is a place where the locals have pride in where they live, but there are still tensions, much like in his time. Some sites have been preserved, rebuilt, and built upon over the centuries by different leaders and kings. However, it still remains so beautifully simple and complicated. Isn’t that what this life is anyway?
One of the stops on our itinerary was in Bethany at Lazarus’s tomb. Before we went to Lazarus’s tomb, we visited a local church. Walking around the common area, we saw three beautiful pieces of art dedicated to the story of Jesus’s visit to Mary and Martha. Of all the places we could have started our journey, our first stop involved our youngest child’s patron Saint! As we walked into the chapel, there was a mosaic above us of three pictures of Mary, Jesus, and Martha. Martha (by no surprise) had her eyes rolling and her hand on her hip, with some biblical sass, as she showed her frustration with Mary not helping. She was the one working, she was the one fussing about, SHE was the one that should have gained more respect and notice. However, Jesus wanted her attention and heart. “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”
Luke 10:41-42 NIVV
One of our first day's most pivotal moments was unexpected and unplanned. We had an opportunity to walk down the rocky terrain to a chapel in the Roman Shepard‘s field location. Here we got to pause and reflect on our day’s journey. At the final destination, we had the privilege of being hosted by our tour company’s ownership- at their family home. A beautiful night with new friends. It was terrific, and the food was spectacular!
They opened their house to travelers. Much like Mary and Martha did for Jesus, we were met with so much hospitality and had a chance to slow down and stop worrying about all the details. They gave us another opportunity to slow down, sit with Jesus, and refresh our hearts and souls to continue this pilgrimage in his footsteps with full bellies and full hearts. How many things do we worry and fuss about? How often do we get to slow down? How many things get in the way of our relationship with Christ? Whenever our youngest hits her “ninety percent” or, in honor of today, her biblical sass, we remind her, “Who is in charge?” Sometimes we have to remind her more than once, and more often than not, it typically lands on the third reminder before she can concede, but it doesn’t make us love her less. I believe our Father, sends us those moments too; we just have to concede and listen.