Our Blog

By: Peter Schlicht

There’s this scene I like in the movie called “The Hurt Locker” where a man returns from active military duty and goes shopping with his wife in a grocery store. He turns into the cereal aisle and looks at the choices before him. The camera pans from left to right over hundreds of bright boxes each covered with pictures and eye-catching titles. Remember, this is a man not used to even having a choice of what to eat for breakfast in the military. Overwhelmed with so many options in front of him he simply grabs the nearest box without really looking at it and escapes the aisle. That’s how I feel many times as well, and not just in the grocery store. Do you know what I mean? 

There are so many things, so many voices if you will, vying for our time and calling for attention. Eye-catching clickbait, outrageous pictures, emotional videos—all cleverly calibrated content to capture the mind. It is almost impossible to escape. They are talking in our cars. They are buzzing in our pockets. Scrolling on our computer screens. Screaming from the television. “Who are you going to vote for?…Are you actively eco-conscious?…Watch out for the CoronaVirus!… The top 5 fitness myths debunked!… Buy this merch!… You won’t believe what happened next!… This is what good parents do…” Not to mention the voices from within our own heads. Too many voices. Trying to weigh them all leaves us overwhelmed, worried, and distracted. Who can we trust? Which one is worth our time? And how can we be sure?

As Aaron Rogers once famously told the press, Jesus would have us “RELAX.” Listen to how our Savior answered Martha when he visited her home in Bethany: “The Lord answered her, ‘Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has made the right choice, and it will not be taken away from her.’” (Lk 10:41-42) Mary wasn’t foolish, she probably had a voice in her head telling her that she should be helping her sister prepare for the guests. She knew that in Jewish society the women were expected to host, not learn from the rabbis. But with the opportunity to hear the voice of Jesus in front of her, she quieted the noise of other voices and sat down at his feet. Because, in the end, his voice is the only one truly necessary. 

And though Martha’s voice told Jesus that she should be helping. Jesus said that Mary had made the right choice. And that this one thing necessary would “not be taken away from her.” What a profound statement. “Not be taken away from her,” as in he would not tell her to stop listening to his Word so that she could help in the kitchen. But also “not be taken away from her,” as in “Heaven and earth shall pass away but my words will never pass away.”(Mat 24:35)

And Jesus spoke the truth, his words endure to this day. He speaks to you of forgiveness and joy, of sins forgiven and salvation free. He speaks words of wisdom for your life and gives you a godly perspective for the issues on your mind. In a world gorged on information and chock-full of competing voices, sit back and relax at your Savior’s feet. His voice is all you need to hear. Trust God’s Word: It does not change. It does not fail. It is the truth. 

At Eastside we gather together during Lent both on Sundays and on Wednesdays to hear the voice of our Savior in worship. We are also making available a daily devotional for the season of Lent to allow you to hear your Savior’s voice each day. I’m sure you have plenty of things to do and a full schedule of good things to accomplish. There may even be a voice in your head as you read this saying you don’t have time to consider church twice a week… But just remember that time in God’s Word cannot be taken away from you. Each moment in worship is a moment well-invested for you and your family. Your prioritization of his voice will not only give you needed comfort and peace, but will be the vital demonstration for those you love about what is truly necessary. Other things can wait when Jesus is speaking. Take the time to slow down, relax, and listen to the one voice you need to hear.