The Lord Is My Portion

This past week I attended The Gospel Coalition Women’s conference. During one of our times of singing, Shane and Shane sang the song “My Portion”.

I see Thy hand, my savior

It guides me day by day

I know that Thou art with me

Through all my pilgrim ways

Yet no thought so precious

So full of joy to me

Is this Thou art my portion

And shalt forever be

For past and present blessing

I thank Thee gracious Lord

I reverence every precept

And promise in Thy Word

Oh, this sweet assurance

Is more than all to me

Thy savior art my portion and shalt forever be

Hallelujah, what a savior

My redeemеr, my reward

Hallelujah, endlеss treasure

My delight forevermore

My heart, my flesh, may fail

You are my portion

You are my portion

Thou savior art my portion

What wealth untold is mine

What pure and priceless treasure

Not earthly but divine

My soul is in Thy keeping

My life is hid with Thee

Thou savior art my portion

While singing along, the words “You are my portion“ struck me. Jesus is my portion!! Not the things I own; not my reputation, resume, or looks; not my occupation; not even my family or friends or the ministry work I do for God’s kingdom. The Lord blesses us with good things and relationships, but they serve to direct our attention toward our true and everlasting portion.

It is far too easy to look at the things we can see in this life. We become distracted by what others have or what others are doing and think their portion is better. We get caught in the comparison trap. We feel less than or maybe superior to, instead of remembering and resting in the truth that Jesus is our portion.

Luke 10:38-42

“Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house.

And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching.

But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.”

But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”

Let’s dig into this passage together.

First, Martha welcomed Jesus into her home and into her hospitality, but we soon discover that He was not the only one there. When Jesus said, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things”, He was revealing something important. The word troubled is the Greek word Thorybazo which originates from the Latin word Turba meaning crowd. Martha’s heart and mind were crowded, and because of this, her heart and mind were disquieted and disturbed. At this point in time, Jesus was just another person in Martha’s already crowded life; someone else to serve and think about when she was already so stretched and anxious about many things.

Second, Martha was distracted with much serving. The word serving is the Greek word Diakonia which, in this passage, means the service of those who prepare and present food.

Martha was so preoccupied with preparing food, that she forgot that the Bread of Life, the Living water, was sitting in her home offering her words of wisdom. He was there to serve her and to provide rest for her anxious heart.

Third, when Martha said, “Lord do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone?”, she revealed two things. First, Martha was questioning Jesus’ care for her, and second, she was challenging Jesus to do what she thought would prove He cared about her. She said if Jesus really cared, then He would make Mary help her. She was believing the lie that when life goes the way we think it should, God cares about us, and when it doesn’t, God must not care. She was succumbing to the voices of the crowd in her mind: Work more! Do more! Doesn’t Jesus see how hard I am working for Him?!, rather than surrendering to the gentle, quiet voice of her Shepherd inviting her to come, sit, and eat at the table He prepared for her.

Jesus did care for her, and Jesus’ care for her would meet her in this present moment and far beyond. He offered her what she truly needed.

Jesus answered, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary.“

Jesus said only one thing is needed.

Mary chose Jesus. She chose to be near Him and give audience to His words. This is what Martha needed, and it is what we all need. Jesus is what we need because when He is the central focal point in our hearts and minds, our response toward everything else changes. He transforms our perspective to behold what is truly important for His kingdom, and what is necessary for our lives. He helps us reorient our lives around Him, so our work for Him doesn’t distract us from Him. He helps us quiet the crowd in our hearts and minds, renounce the lies, and remove the distractions.

Lastly, and most importantly, we get to the crux of the story:

“Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”

Did you catch it? Mary chose the GOOD PORTION. While Martha was busy making portions of food, Mary was already partaking in her portion. Mary was being refreshed and fed by the Giver of Life.

It's important to note that just because Mary chose Jesus first didn't mean there was nothing left for Martha. No! Jesus is the everlasting, abundant supply! He is enough and has enough for anyone and everyone who rests their faith and hope in Him. There’s no reason to compare, feel less than, or feel superior to when Jesus is our portion.

Jesus revealed to Martha, that He would not be taken away from Mary or anyone who delights and trusts in Him. Psalm 73:26 says, “ My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”

Jesus was inviting Martha to lay down her cares and sit with Him.

Like Martha, we are often anxious and distracted by things, situations, and even people, that will eventually pass away. Things break down and life here on earth eventually ends for all of us, but God is eternal, and He has promised eternal life to all those who trust in Him. No one can take Him away from us. Nothing can separate us from His love. He is our good portion now and forever more.

So today, I encourage us to choose to sit at Jesus‘ feet and learn from Him. I encourage us to cast all our anxious thoughts on Him because He cares about each one of us. I encourage us to push out all other distractions and focus on Jesus as if no one else is in the room, and to remember that He has given us life and life more abundantly, both now and forevermore.

Thou savior art my portion

What wealth untold is mine

What pure and priceless treasure

Not earthly but divine

My soul is in Thy keeping

My life is hid with Thee

Thou savior art my portion

Sincerely,

Amy