The Porch Swing and The Presence Of Jesus

I remember being a little girl, going to my great-grandma’s house and sitting on her porch swing—just visiting, without a care in the world. We would stop by unannounced and spend the evening together, unhurried and present. It was a restful season.

It was a different time. I can’t imagine just dropping in somewhere now. Everything is so scheduled. We don’t just walk up to someone’s house, knock on the door, and spend a few hours together anymore. We are all so busy. And not to mention—what condition would they find our house in? We feel like we need time to prepare before anyone comes over.

That reminds me of when Jesus visited Mary and Martha. Throughout His ministry, Jesus lived simply and unhurriedly. Many of His visits were unannounced, much like those evenings at my great-grandma’s house—truly spending time with people, seeing them, loving them, teaching them, and healing them.

One day, during one of these visits, He came to two sisters. One of them busied herself trying to make everything perfect—preparing the home, getting the food ready, and becoming overwhelmed and stressed, just like many of us today. The other sister chose to stop and sit at the feet of Jesus, soaking in His presence and His teaching.

Martha grew frustrated with her sister Mary because she wanted help. And honestly—wouldn’t we feel the same?

But Jesus gently responded, reminding Martha that Mary had chosen what was better. She was resting, learning, and spending time with Him while He was there.

There is something important for us to learn from this. We often overschedule our lives and push ourselves beyond what we were meant to carry. In doing so, we lose meaningful

connection—with others and with Jesus.

In a world full of distractions, we need to be careful not to lose sight of what matters most, like Martha did. Instead, may we choose, like Mary, to pause… to sit… and to be present with Him.