Editor’s note: There’s so much we can learn from the women in the Bible. Their stories, their lives, their reactions to God all can help us learn how we can better rely on the Lord and learn His ways. Their prayers can teach us how to pray to the God who loves us. Enjoy this lesson about the Mary who sat at the feet of Jesus from Praying with Women of the Bible for 30 Days.
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Meeting Mary of Bethany
Am I welcome? Must I stand at a distance and feel removed from others and far from God? Mary needed to know that she was invited to come close to Jesus, and so do we. In her day, women were not allowed near a rabbi, but Jesus broke many of the cultural norms.
In two different Gospel passages, we find Mary at the feet of Jesus. One was in a quiet moment listening to her Lord and learning from him. The other was in a time of weeping, deep sorrow, and crying out to Jesus after her brother died. These two very different situations evoked similar postures.
Mary came to the feet of Jesus in joy and in sorrow.
The longing of her heart was to be close to the Savior. If you want to grow more intimate in prayer and connection with Jesus, walk (or sit) with Mary.
In a moment of joy and in a time of sorrow, Mary needed to know that Jesus would never marginalize her or shoo her away. She needed intimacy with the Savior. Her story reveals that the arms of Jesus are open all the time.
Read: Luke 10:38–42; John 11:28–37
Reflect
She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what He said. — Luke 10:39
When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw Him, she fell at His feet and said, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.” — John 11:32
Her Story
In Luke’s Gospel, we get a powerful picture of Mary at the feet of Jesus. The Rabbi had come to town and was staying at Mary’s home. In this surprise visit, Jesus was gathered with His disciples and was teaching them. She sat down, right at the feet of the Lord, and opened her heart and ears to His words. She was hungry to learn. She loved being at the feet of the Lord.
Martha felt that Mary was out of line, and she wanted Jesus to set Mary on the correct path. To her surprise, Jesus publicly corrected Martha. With tenderness but crystal-clear words, Jesus let the disgruntled Martha know that Mary had chosen the better way. In that moment, Jesus clarified the spiritual truth that
- the best place to be is at His feet.
We also see Mary at the feet of Jesus when He comes to Bethany after her brother Lazarus passed away. Before Jesus entered the city in which she lived, Mary came to the Lord, and the first thing she did was take a familiar posture: She fell at His feet (John 11:32). Once she was there, she talked with Jesus. Mary dared to do what many of us avoid. She mourned, questioned, and unleashed the sorrow that had been locked inside. With a tear-streaked face, she looked up at Jesus and acknowledged that He could have saved her brother. Wow! That is an honest prayer!
Notice what happened next. Jesus felt deeply. He was moved and touched by her tears and the sorrow of those who had gathered. Then Jesus spoke. He did not rebuke her for lacking faith. He did not chastise her for questioning His wisdom. The Savior simply asked a question:
Where have you laid him? — John 11:34
If you know how the story ends, you will recognize that Jesus’ question from John 11:34 was the preamble to what He would do next. He was about to raise Lazarus from the dead. With tears in His eyes, Jesus went to the tomb and called Lazarus out. Mary was part of this story, and her prayer to Jesus happened right before Jesus unleashed the resurrection power of Heaven.
My Need
In a world of pain, rejection, and brokenness, what better place to be than at the feet of Jesus? It is a place of intimacy, safety, and conversation with the Savior. If your heart longs to be near the Savior, learn from Mary and make time to linger at the feet of Jesus as a regular part of your spiritual life.
~ What does it look like in your life to spend time at the feet of your Savior? Be creative and try a variety of ways to connect closely with your Lord.
~ When is a good time in the flow of your day or week to spend intimate time with Jesus? If you can’t find a time, you may be too busy.
Lessons from Mary of Bethany
- Prayer is relationship. Prayer, in its simplest form, is about our relationship with Jesus. It is about talking and listening to our Savior. It is being with Jesus, at His feet, walking in the garden, sitting in our prayer chair in the morning, or at any other time and place our Lord meets with us. Be sure to make time for this prayer relationship.
- Prayer is listening. When we have an intimate relationship with Jesus, we will spend time listening. Mary sat at Jesus’ feet in her home while others were racing around doing chores. She listened to the great Rabbi and so should we. Prayer is not just telling God what we need and what is on our heart. It is also listening for the still, small voice of His Spirit. Remember to stop and listen for the voice of Jesus.
- Come to the feet of Jesus in your sorrow. Just like Mary, sometimes we experience great loss. We can go to Jesus with our sorrow, and we can talk to Him. He can handle our questions. The psalmists modeled going to God in times of lament. Jesus gives an open ear, heart, and door to whatever we want to share. So, pour out your pain and sorrow to Him.
Excerpted with permission from Praying with Women of the Bible for 30 Days by Sherry Harney, copyright Sherry Harner.
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Your Turn
Let’s sit at the feet of Jesus today. Wherever you are, whenever you carve out time to be still and quiet, sit before Him and ask Him to speak to you. Then, listen for what He’s going to say! ~ Devotionals Daily