I received most of the lyrics of this song and the melody in my sleep, the only time this has ever happened to me. It was a chorus of women singing in smooth, encouraging, instructive, caring tones. The words were meant for me.
I had been feeling pressed to get things done. I needed to realize that the world and life existed and continued with or without me. I wasn’t the engine of life. I was only a cog in a wheel, never indispensable, nor would I ever be.
The Lord spoke to the church at Ephesus concerning their service to Him:
“I know your deeds, your hard work, and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. You have persevered and have endured hardships for My Name, and have not grown weary. Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first” (Revelation 2:2-4).
We can get so caught up with our work, even hospitality, and lose our focus on Who we’re serving and why. Think about Martha and Mary:
“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!’
‘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 10:38-42).
What comes first to us, the responsibilities of this world or worshipping the Lord? Serving Him in the necessities of life or letting Him serve us, which is what He came to do?
New Living Translation
Said Jesus: “Who is more important, the one who sits at the table or the one who serves? The one who sits at the table, of course. But not here! For I am among you as one who serves” (Luke 22:27).
The Lord’s essential work appointed us is to believe on Him and delight in His serving us. We need to rest.