On His way to Jerusalem, Jesus stopped in Bethany to spend time with friends He loved—Lazarus and his two sisters. Martha was rushing around preparing a meal while Mary sat listening to Jesus. In those days, culture dictated that a woman served the men in the house. By resting at Jesus’ feet, Mary was defying her society’s conventions. But this was a woman who cared more for her Lord than for doing what was culturally appropriate. When Martha complained, Jesus gently explained that her sister was making the right choice. The number one priority was to spend time with Him.

What was true for Mary and Martha is true for us today. Every believer needs to carve out personal time with God. There are many Christians who think that they prove their love for God by going to church, tithing their income, and witnessing. All of those things are important, but actions are empty unless we are connecting with God personally on a regular basis. Doing so demonstrates how much we value our relationship with Him because the people we spend time with are those we love most.

Many believers rationalize by saying they are too busy. We tell ourselves, If I could just finish a few things then I can pray and read the Bible, but each finished task is replaced by a new duty. We must choose to make time for God. Changing our schedule to give the Lord His rightful place can be difficult. But no relationship in life equals what God allows us to have with Him if we make Him our number one priority.