Does Jesus Want Me Before Everything Is Finished?
There is something satisfying about being useful.
Someone needs a meal, and we make it. A problem needs solving, and we step in. We know how to show love by getting things done.
Receiving love can feel more awkward.
Especially when the dishes are still in the sink.
Does Jesus want us near Him even when our work is unfinished? The story of Mary and Martha in Luke 10:38–42 reminds us that Jesus values our presence, not just our productivity. He welcomes us into a relationship that doesn't depend on how much we accomplish.
But believing that can be harder than it sounds.
What Mary and Martha Teach Us About Being With Jesus
I have a soft spot for Martha.
She welcomes Jesus into her home, starts preparing a meal, and gets overwhelmed. Meanwhile, her sister Mary sits at His feet, listening.
Martha finally says what some of us have thought:
“Lord, don't you care?” (Luke 10:40).
That question comes from someone who opened her door to Him.
We can be serving Jesus and still wonder whether He sees us.
Jesus answers by naming Martha's worry. He sees more than the meal she is trying to prepare. He sees the person carrying it.
And Mary's place at His feet is something He protects.
It's tempting to read this story as a warning against being busy. But Jesus doesn't condemn Martha for serving. He gently addresses the anxiety and distraction that have begun to consume her.
Mary has chosen to be with Jesus, and He calls that a good thing.
That leaves me with an uncomfortable question:
Can I believe Jesus wants me near Him when I have nothing finished to show Him?
Learning to Receive God's Love Instead of Trying to Earn It
I can turn almost anything into an assignment—even prayer.
Read enough. Concentrate harder. Have something meaningful to report afterward.
Sometimes our desire to serve God quietly becomes an attempt to prove that we're worthy of His attention.
But closeness asks us to receive, too.
To come with our tiredness. To speak honestly. To listen without needing to make the moment impressive.
The story of Mary and Martha reminds us that spending time with Jesus isn't another task to complete. It's an invitation to be with Someone who already knows us and loves us.
And that invitation remains when life becomes painfully complicated.
Later, when Martha's brother Lazarus dies, she brings Jesus another difficult sentence:
“Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died” (John 11:21).
Jesus stays in that conversation, too.
And when Mary weeps, He weeps with her (John 11:35).
There is room near Jesus for the things we cannot tidy up.
Our unanswered questions. Our disappointments. Our grief. Even the things we wish we had handled differently.
We don't have to get everything in order before coming to Jesus.
That doesn't make our responsibilities disappear.
At another dinner, John tells us simply, “Martha served” (John 12:2).
Her hospitality still has a place.
Serving Jesus matters. Loving our neighbors through practical acts of kindness matters. The meals still need preparing, and someone still needs to wash the dishes.
But our relationship with Jesus is more than the work we do for Him.
Perhaps this week we could pause before the next task and pray:
“Jesus, here is what I'm carrying. Help me receive Your love here.”
Before the work is finished.
Before we have found the right words.
Before everything is the way we think it should be.
Your life can be unfinished, and your relationship with Jesus can be real.
