I have often overheard the words, “Oh how I wish I could have sat at the feet of Jesus”. For a Christian, when we consider those words, do we not all get the same feeling? Do we not all agree and imagine how wonderful it would be to sit there at the feet of our Christ and listen to Him teach. Imagine sitting there, listening to the very voice of God and hearing first hand the things of the Kingdom; of salvation; and of eternity.

How easy it would be to believe in His words. How confident we could be resting in the literal presence of the Lord as the very words of God rolled off the tongue of Jesus. Could our hearts possibly have any doubt? Would not the presence of God remove all our hurt and pain, would not the doubt in our hearts that sometimes creeps in, forever be removed? Not the doubt in our salvation mind you, but rather the doubt that we have the ability to do and be everything that Christ called us to be. Would this doubt not indeed be removed if we could only be in His presence.

As I considered these words and thoughts the very words of Jesus do in fact come to mind. I recall vividly the words He spoke to Thomas in John 20:29:

“…blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.”

Poor Thomas refused to believe that Christ had risen, as He promised he would, unless he saw Him face to face and could place his fingers in the nail holes on Jesus. How much then is our first request akin to this very thing. "Oh to sit at the feet of Jesus".

Likewise do we not make excuses for our lack effort in the spiritual things?

In a parable in Luke 16 Christ relays a story about a rich man and a beggar named Lazarus. Lazarus and the rich man die, and yet Lazarus is found to be in paradise while the rich man ends up in torment. First the rich man asks Abraham for water, to which he is denied. Then the rich man asks if Lazarus can be sent back to his family, so that he can warn his 5 brothers of the torment of hades. Again he is denied. Abraham tells him that they have the prophets, let them believe them. However, the rich man remains unconvinced and states that his brothers would not listen to anything save Lazarus being resurrected from the dead. Abraham answers similarly to the first:

“… If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead”' – Luke 16:31

Would the physical presence of Jesus bring us convincingly to our knees, or would we perhaps react no differently than many of the people of that day. Many of the religious leaders: the Pharisees, Sadducees and those like them, did they not deny the Christ? In the presence of the Christ?

We modern Christians have something that those people in the time of Christ never had. We have the hindsight knowledge of the 100% accurate and literal fulfillment of prophecy in the birth, death, life and resurrection of Christ. Of these facts there are 332 distinct prophecies in the pages of the Old Testament. There is over 7 times as many about Christ’s second coming! What this should tell us is that undeniably, the bible – the Holy Word of God – is faithful and true.

And yet, rather than read the bible, we turn to commentaries, and books about the bible. We read studies, we read sermons, we read books, books and more books, all the while neglecting the very thing that we truly wish for and yet deny ourselves from – to know more of God.

On the other hand, perhaps we spend our time doing ministry activities at the church. We lead bible studies, we might teach, we might pray together, cook for one another, get involved in activities and ministries, and all the while we neglect the very thing God truly wants of us. Ironically, in an effort to be a good Christian, we forget the very thing that energizes our soul.

We started this article with the cry, “Oh how I wish I could have sat at the feet of Jesus”

We will find at the end of Luke 10 a portion of scripture, that should hold a very poignant lesson for us today. In the passage at verse 38, we find Jesus at the house of Mary and Martha. Mary, we find, is sitting at the feet of Jesus:

Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus' feet and heard His word.

Martha on the other hand, is more concerned with matters of the physical.

But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, "Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me."

Christ’s response is one of careful consideration for us today.

“And Jesus answered and said to her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her."

We see that Mary chose to take pause from the troubles of the world, and just wanted to sit at the masters feet. Christ said that she chose the good part. The better job. The better task. It was a task that can never be taken from her. She chose to spend time with the master. If we love God with all our hearts, mind and soul, our first love should always be in the presence of the master. In the presence of Jesus.

Friends, we know from John 1:1, 1 John 5:7 and Revelation 19:13 that Jesus Christ is the ‘Word of God’. So I ask you, do we not each have the opportunity to sit at the feet of Jesus every day? Our bibles sit in our houses with seldom a page turned. Even for those who may read it daily… do we really cherish it? Do we dig into it, or breeze through it? Do we meditate on its meaning? Do we absorb it? Do we quench a dying hunger within us with every word and verse? If Christ is the word of God, then every moment we spend deep in the word of God, is a moment at the feet of Jesus. How can we say that we want to know the secrets of Jesus, and dwell in His presence when we don’t even read the words that he gave us?

Listen to the cry of David:

With my whole heart I have sought You; Oh, let me not wander from Your commandments! Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You. Blessed are You, O LORD! Teach me Your statutes. - Psa 119:10-12

Here was a man who never sat at the feet of God. And yet here was a man who hid the word of God in his heart. The same man who cried, “Your word is truth”, spent many days praising the value of knowing the Word of God.

"With my whole heart I have sought You; Oh, let me not wander from Your commandments!
Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You.
Blessed are You, O LORD! Teach me Your statutes.
With my lips I have declared All the judgments of Your mouth.
I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies, As much as in all riches.
I will meditate on Your precepts, And contemplate Your ways.
I will delight myself in Your statutes; I will not forget Your word.
Deal bountifully with Your servant, That I may live and keep Your word.
Open my eyes, that I may see Wondrous things from Your law.
I am a stranger in the earth; Do not hide Your commandments from me.
My soul breaks with longing For Your judgments at all times. Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You." - Psalm 119:10-20

David even mentions insomnia caused by his thirst for knowing, reading and studying the Word of God.

My eyes are awake through the night watches, That I may meditate on Your word. - Psa 119:148

My friends, there are so many blessings promised us for meditating on the Word; So many blessings for us if we would only hide the word of God in our hearts, and cherish every teaching, every line every word and every letter.

This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.- Joshua 1:8

But Jesus answered him, saying, "It is written, 'MAN SHALL NOT LIVE BY BREAD ALONE, BUT BY EVERY WORD OF GOD.'” -- Luke 4:4

Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him. - Pro 30:5

So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. - Rom 10:17

For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. - Heb 4:12

As for God, His way is perfect; The word of the LORD is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him.- 2Sa 22:31

Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near. - Rev 1:3

So many blessings and yet day after day we continue ignoring the Word of God sitting within our reach. Sitting within our presence are the closed pages of a dusty book that call out to us with the words, “Come to me you are burdened and heavy laden and I will give you rest”; and yet we walk by, unmoved by the cry of love. Day after day we find ourselves with less time than the day before, and more and more we find ourselves far too busy wearing the shoes of Martha.

“Surely the righteous shall give thanks to Your name; The upright shall dwell in Your presence.”
Psalm 140:13

“You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore”.
Psalm 16: 11

- J.R. Hall

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