Martha and Mary

Live on your Knees

Carol Purves Carol's Blog July 25, 2024July 14, 2024faith and works, Martha and Mary

I came across this quote the other day – ‘It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees.’ Emiliano Zapata

As Zapata was a Mexican revolutionary who was assassinated before the age of 60, his meaning of ‘live on your knees’ was different to mine. I presume he meant don’t give up, it is better to wear out than rust out. I related the phrase to living your life in constant prayer. But is it possible to pray too much. Yes, if our prayer is not followed by action, it is only half the story. We are told that prayer and action go together. ”Faith without works is dead.’ Ephesians 2:9. The lives of Mary and Martha are an example, one had plenty of faith and not so much works; the other emphasized the works and thereby missed out on the teaching of Jesus. We need to get the balance right.

Carol Purves Carol's Blog July 5, 2022June 30, 2022hospitality, Martha and Mary

Two sisters who practised hospitality were surely Martha and Mary. When they entertained Jesus no doubt many of His friends came along as well, so it was no small matter. Theirs was a home where Jesus could relax and rest. So much was demanded of Jesus during His life that it must have been great to have been able to rest or switch off as he needed..

I pray that our own homes are places where we can provide what people really and not what we think they need. It is not our agenda but that of our visitors. It is their needs not ours that matter.