Sit at my feet and learn from me

Lately, there has been a longing for more of God and at the same time, I pondered about my slow walk with God. Then a sentence dropped into my mind:

“Sit at my feet and learn from me.”

As I continued to ponder, I remembered the story of Mary and Martha.

^{38 -40}As they continued their travel, Jesus entered a village. A woman by the name of Martha welcomed him and made him feel quite at home. She had a sister, Mary, who sat before the Master, hanging on every word he said. But Martha was pulled away by all she had to do in the kitchen. Later, she stepped in, interrupting them. "Master, don't you care that my sister has abandoned the kitchen to me? Tell her to lend me a hand."

   ^41-42The Master said, "Martha, dear Martha, you're fussing far too much and getting yourself worked up over nothing. One thing only is essential, and Mary has chosen it—it's the main course, and won't be taken from her." (Luke 10: 38-42. The Message)    

Then I began to have a grasp of why my walk with God was slow. I have allowed the pressures and pleasures of this world to distract me. Even being involved in the church has given one some form of deception. Like Martha, I have become busy with secondary things. I have allowed these secondary things to take the place of God in my life.

As I continued to meditate on ‘sit at my feet and learn from me,’ God began to throw more light on it:

When a child’s father comes home from work, the child will run to the father, sit on his lap and ask for a story. You will know that the child listened to the story when you hear, “Daddy said...”

Then I imagined, “Fine! I will sit on my rug daily and study the word” Then I sensed in my spirit, “It is not just the physical sitting but also the spiritual sitting”

How?                                                                                                                     

Make out time

Martha was busy running around to ensure every visitor in her house was fed and comfortable while Mary chose to shut out other things competing for her time and sit at Jesus’ feet. There are times when the first thing that occurs to me is to sit at my masters feet; then I remember the kitchen needs to be tidied up, I have a deadline to meet, I have work assignments that were overdue and the list would go on. I guess you know what I would do. You are clever! I would forget about Jesus and attend to these secondary things and would blame him when my day does not go well. But Jesus, ever so loving is encouraging me now to take Mary’s approach – seek God first. Make out time to spend with him daily.

Listen

As stated above in the scripture, Mary was hanging on every word Jesus said. I guess you would have experienced a situation whereby you are talking to someone about something important and after a while it becomes clear to you the person is not listening. Listening is not only hearing but also internalizing and comprehending what is being said. Listening requires full attention, keeping an open mind and good auditory memory (ability to listen and remember).  God is encouraging us to give him our full attention when we sit at his feet. He does not like approaches such as hit and run or for the record purposes. He wants us to come to him in all sincerity and patience to learn from him.

Meditate

Meditation is defined as continued or extended thought; reflecting or contemplating upon a thing, situation or word. Meditation means to churn the word over and over again. Musing over the word we have heard or read expands it and we receive more revelation making it much clearer for us to follow. Mediation helps to engrave the word in our hearts. So I understood that God expects me to meditate on his word after I have heard it or read it.

Apply

Having meditated upon his word, the next step is to apply it. God is not looking for hearers of his word but doers.

^{22 -24}Don't fool yourself into thinking that you are a listener when you are anything but, letting the Word go in one ear and out the other. Act on what you hear! Those who hear and don't act are like those who glance in the mirror, walk away, and two minutes later have no idea who they are, what they look like. (James 1: 22-24. The Message)

The more we act on what we hear, the closer we get to him and the more he reveals.

Repeat the steps daily

Imagine a child who usually runs daily to her father for stories; as she grows she begins to feel she knows enough stories to last her a lifetime. Then she declares her independence. I remember those days I would remind my father I was an adult so he should stop treating me like a child. I wanted to do my own thing when and how I chose. The same way our earthly parents keep seeing us as their children despite the fact we may have children of our own, we are children before God. If you declare your independence from God, you lose the essence of living. So the steps above: make out time, listen, meditate and apply should be enshrined in our lives till death.

Behold, ‘sit at my feet and learn from me’ has been expanded as above. And when this dawned on me, I worshiped God feeling honoured he has exposed his word to me.

Then I sensed him saying, “It is because you sat at my feet”