The Needful Thing – Sitting at the Feet of Jesus – Following Jesus From the Edges

Sitting at the Feet of Jesus
In Reflection – Pastor Calvin Cook
October 14, 2025

38 Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. 39 And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. 40 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.” 41 But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, 42 but one thing is necessary.[ Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”— Luke 10:39–40 (ESV)

Last night as I found myself alone with God at the end of the day. No screens turned on, no outside noises other than the gentle purring of Mabel my cat as she sat on my lap, I quieted myself before the presence of God, creator, sustainer, and balance of my life. I have really been trying to practice the end of day discipline in my life of asking “where did I mess up today”, “who did I hurt”, “what do I need to seek forgiveness and redemption for” “did I keep my focus on you”. The questions seem to change daily but the one needful question I always ask – “ have I pleased you God ?”

If you follow along with this devotional blog, you know it has been a whirlwind the last few weeks and I am thankful for God’s sustaining power. Thanks to those who have showed concern with your words and prayers. Yet still in the midst of all of it – I find myself this morning just the need to sit quietly at the feet of Jesus, look into His heart, and listen.

There is a holy quiet that comes when we choose to sit at the feet of Jesus. It’s not a quiet born from idleness, but from intention—a moment when we set aside the noise, the demands, and even the good work that pulls at us, to simply listen.

In my thought and memory bank last night and continues this morning the story of sisters Mary and Martha comes to mind. The reflection on the life of Mary and Martha ends a very busy chapter of Luke 10. Mary and Martha are two sisters who took very different responses to the visit of Jesus in their lives. Martha consumed with the task of hosting and making sure everything was just right and Mary who just simply sat at the feet of Jesus and listened.

As I prayed to have the heart of both Mary and Martha for service to the Lord. In this season of personal reflection I resonated best with Mary. Mary took her place at Jesus’ feet, not to perform or prove herself, but to receive. She didn’t need to be in charge of the house, the meal, or the schedule. She recognized that the greatest nourishment that day wasn’t action—it was in the presence of her Lord. I also realize in this teaching that it is important for us to be “not only hearers and not doers of the word, ” (James 1:22-25). We all need just those moments to sit at the feet of Jesus.

We live in a world that constantly tells us to do more, move faster, and fill every moment. But Jesus invites us to slow down, to be still, and to hear His word. Sitting at His feet reminds us that our identity is not in what we accomplish, but in who we belong to.

When Martha grew frustrated that Mary wasn’t helping, Jesus gently said, “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.”— Luke 10:41–42

There it is—the one needful thing.

Not the tasks. Not the appearances. Not the expectations.

But the stillness to listen, the willingness to learn, and the humility to rest in His presence, to be built up for His purpose and glory, and then to go in the name of Jesus.

We must guard our hearts against the many “voices” that sound like Martha—voices of urgency, comparison, and distraction—that call us away from what truly matters. The world will always have another task for you. Jesus offers something better—Himself.

This morning in my own reflection – I am praying to never forget that one needful thing everyday and every minute of my life. To not get so caught up in everything that I miss the opportunity to just be in the presence of God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – if only for a minute. This is the one needful thing that we all need.

Prayer
Lord Jesus, teach me to sit at Your feet.

Quiet my restless spirit, hush the noise of my heart, and tune my ears to Your voice.

Help me to choose the one thing that matters most—to be with You, to listen, and to love You more deeply. Amen.

Note : John Wesley wrote sermon no: 146, The One Thing Needful, in which he offered a thoughtful sermon and dissertation on the story of Martha and Mary (Luke 10:38-42) with a particular focus upon verse 42. It is a hard thing to read in the old English writing of that day but here is what Wesley described as the “One Needful Thing” in May of 1734

From John Wesley’s writing “To recover our first estate, from which we are thus fallen, is the one thing now needful – to re-exchange the image of Satan for the image of God, bondage for freedom, sickness for health. Our one great business is to rase out of our souls the likeness of our destroyer, and to be born again, to be formed anew after the likeness of our Creator. It is our one concern to shake off this servile yoke and to regain our native freedom; to throw off every chain, every passion and desire that does not suit an angelical nature. The one work we have to do is to return from the gates of death to perfect soundness; to have our diseases cure, our wounds healed, and our uncleanness done away.