“It is no blessing the thing that draws my heart away from my passionate pursuit of Your Presence, that dulls my ear to Your voice, or the keen edge of my spiritual receptivity.”
This was my response to God’s dealings during my early morning prayer recently, and I know that if He requires this of me, He also does of you who desire to focus your gaze upon His face. It is all about focus and forfeit: What are we willing to forfeit of this earthly realm that we might obtain a far more glorious spiritually, and eternal benefit?
David was the one after God’s own heart. Arguably, this may be the greatest compliment ever payed to a person. The words reveal the man, and David wrote many heart-revealing words that give testament to his life-long pursuit of God. Such as Psalm 127:4: “One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire into his temple.”
David, who had risen from the least of seven brothers, a shepherd and messenger-boy for his father, to the throne of Israel with the renown of a decorated war hero, who had known the love of beautiful women and many fine sons of his own, declared that there was one thing that was the greatest pursuit of his life; “To behold the beauty of the Lord and to dwell in His presence!”
This is why he said in Psalm 84:10: “For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand (elsewhere). I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than to dwell in tents of wickedness.”
David was not sinless. His offenses were grave and their consequences were also. But the cry of his heart was, “Cast me not away from they presence; and take not thy Holy Spirit from me” (Ps. 51:11). The worst fate he could have suffered was to be without God’s presence. David knew that there was nothing he could offer to God, not even a thousand burnt offerings, that would requite his sinful deeds. He knew God was searching his heart for true contrition and a renewed pursuit of His presence!
It was the one thing that God desired from him, and that he desired for himself. To this end, he abandoned himself to wooing God’s presence privately and publicly, without a shred of embarrassment as to how his extravagant affections might be perceived by others. He was a man after God’s own heart, but there was nothing wimpy about him!
Jesus was probably closer to Lazarus and his two sisters Martha and Mary than any others, after His mother and disciples. Even His own “flesh” brothers, Mary’s other sons, did not believe on Him till after His resurrection (Ref. John 7:5) Their home was a place to hang out, unwind, and conduct informal, but lively Bible lessons. This was Mary’s favorite thing to do: Sit with Jesus and hear His gracious words. At these times nothing else was as important. This was her single most passion.
Her sister Martha was no less passionate, but she channeled her passions into homemaking and hostessing. Let’s think of her as the Martha Stewart of Bethany and surrounding counties. She showed her love in the meals she prepared for her guests, her impeccable service, her dust-free home, all of which took many exhausting hours to organize. A person can get a little crabby when she’s overwhelmed and she perceives others are not doing their part to help.
But no one required Martha to go to such lengths for her guests. This was her choice and she pursued it to the point of becoming “cumbered” (Luke 10:40). This is a compound word in Greek: PERI means to surround; and SPAO means to draw out. The rendering is to distract with care. Moreover, the tense used shows continuous linear action in the past to the present, which infers that this was Martha’s pattern. She had focus, but her focus was on natural things to the point of distraction and diversion from the spiritual things Jesus offered. And the problem was, she did not realize she was missing out on God’s best. This is often the case with those who are caught up and encumbered with the carnal life.
I think she expected Jesus to tell Mary to help her, but instead, He gently rebuked her: “Martha, Martha…” He said. The doubling of her name shows affection and concern for her need, but He spoke the truth in love: “You are careful and troubled about many things.” The first refers to an agitated state of mind and the other to being distracted. This will always be the result when we are minding earthly things rather than spiritual (Ref. Romans 8:5-8), because the flesh is so demanding, no one can keep it happy and satisfied.
Jesus made it clear that Mary was not to be blamed for Martha’s frustration: “But one thing is needful…” Not keeping a picture-perfect house, setting an immaculate table, cooking a four-star meal, not even making Him, the honored guest, to feel like a king. But just one thing was needful: “And Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken from her.”
The correlation to present day life, and even ministry, should not be lost on any of us. There has to be balance, and if there is to be focus on one main thing, it should be to sit in Jesus’ presence as Mary did. It is to behold the beauty of the Lord in His temple as David did. It is to keep the main thing the main thing!
ONE THING I DO
Apostle Paul was penning some of his final N.T. words to the beloved brethren of Philippi, who had shown him much love and generosity, and now were concerned for his welfare, because he was imprisoned for preaching the Gospel. He was no longer a young man, and he had suffered much since his conversion, but his words were joyful and grateful. He had counted the cost to follow Christ all the way, and those things that were once “gain” he had gladly put in the “loss” column of his earthly life for the excellent knowledge of Jesus Christ. Today’s Church counts having things as proof of faith and gain as godliness (Ref. 1 Tim. 6:5-10). But Paul said, “I have suffered the loss of all things and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ” (Phil. 3:7-8).
He knew he was very close to the end of his journey, and this has a way of making one take inventory of his life. Paul said that he had not yet apprehended—laid hold on—the prize for which Jesus Christ apprehended him, on the Road to Damascus, (Acts 9). He knew there is no second prize! There is only one prize: The calling up on high, that is, the rapture-resurrection of the saints in Christ. All else is dung, worthless if you miss the prize!
Like Paul, we must keep our eyes on the prize and make this our number one focus, as he said, “But this one thing I do…” We can become so encumbered with so many things and even feel justified if they are ministry-related, but Paul, like Jesus, said, “only one thing is needful!”
In true Pauline fashion, Paul’s one thing is a trilogy:
- “I forget those things which are behind.” You can’t drive looking in the rear view mirror, and you can’t go forward in God or in life lamenting over mistakes of the past, or resting on its laurels. We must move forward. This is the evidence of faith: “from faith to faith” is the supreme axiom of the believer.
- “…And reaching forth to the things which are before.” The picture is that of a foot race, and the runner is almost to the finish line. He is exhausted, but he must focus on the winner’s ribbon, and with his whole body he reaches out, stretching with every ounce of strength he has to break through to the winner’s circle.
Paul put it this way in Hebrews 12:2: “Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith …” The idea in the Greek is actually “to look away from” the crowds in the grandstands and diversions, including other runners in the race, and then looking to Jesus: “…Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which does so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us” (vs. 1). The Greek beset refers to that which surrounds one and causes hindrance.
- “I press toward the mark…” The mark is the goal on which one fixes his yes. This is the home stretch. This is the time to bear down and close in on the prize, and anything that is a diversion, hindrance, distraction, or that interferes with our reaching the goal and obtaining the prize, must be layed aside, crucified, denied, and cut off. Zero tolerance. “All things are lawful unto me; but all things are not expedient; all things are lawful for me but I will not be brought under the power of any” (1 Cor. 6:12).
Only one thing is needful. “That I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry which I have received of the Lord Jesus to testify the gospel of the grace of God” (Acts 20:24).
My Favorite Devotionals
Every year I add a new devotional to my morning routine. This year I received as a gift “Jesus Calling” by Sarah Young, which is brief in words but deep in intimacy. Great for those who have limited time.
But my all-time favorites that I keep coming back to are by Frances J. Roberts:
Come Away My Beloved
Dialogues With God
Progress of Another Pilgrim
On the Highroad to Surrender
Make Haste My Beloved
These may be obtained from www.christianbook.com
About The Author
