One Thing

One thing...

I’ve been hearing the Lord whisper those two words to my spirit a lot lately. Mary of Bethany knew that one thing and it was not taken from her. Mary was helping her sister prepare for guests, but when Jesus stepped inside the home, she left an important thing for the most important thing. The one thing. When Martha brought up her concern that Mary had left her to work alone, Jesus said:

“One thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.”

One thing is needed. 

Another version says:

“Only one thing is necessary.”

Martha did well to welcome Jesus into her home, but even though the Messiah was in her presence, she wasn’t enjoying His presence because of the distractions around her. 

Martha was distracted with good and important work, but those things kept her from the most important thing. Mary knew how to drop important things for the most important one thing. She knew the importance of sitting at her Master’s feet. When Jesus entered the room, everything else could wait. 

Mary understood that time with Jesus is never wasted. It’s an eternal work and it will never be taken away from us. More can be accomplished in a few moments in His presence than days of our own striving. 

David, too knew that one thing and cried out for it in Psalm 27:4

“One thing I have desired of the Lord,
That will I seek:
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 in His temple.”

All the other things in our lives will fall in their right place and space when we go after the one thing. Time in the presence of Jesus sitting at His feet is that most important one thing. David desired the Lord more than anything and he was determined to seek His presence and behold His beauty above all else. 

In Psalm 63:1, David again speaks about his one desire:

“O God, You are my God;
Early will I seek You;
My soul thirsts for You;
My flesh longs for You
In a dry and thirsty land
Where there is no water.”

I love how David always writes about God in a personal way... “You are my God, The Lord is my Shepherd, The Lord is my light and my salvation, The Lord is my rock and my fortress...” 

I believe it is wise to seek God first thing in the morning every day. He knows what our day holds and He is the One who orders our steps, so let’s seek His face first before the distractions have a chance to steal away our attention. 

Matthew 6:33 echoes what was in the hearts of David and Mary:  “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.”

All other things must bow to the one thing. 

Jesus was once confronted by a man known as the rich young ruler. 

“Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me.”

The rich young ruler walked away sorrowful upon hearing Jesus’ words for he had great possessions. The thought of trading in his earthly riches for a cross was not appealing to him. He missed the point, it wasn’t about what he was giving up, but about what he was gaining. When Jesus becomes our one thing, our all in all, we see everything else as we should in comparison with Him. When we allow ourselves to gaze into His eyes of fire, that fire will consume away everything that doesn’t belong. 

Wealth and possessions distracted the young ruler from seeing the greatest Treasure standing right in front of him, but Jesus looked at this wealthy young man with deep love and compassion. 

Jesus knew the one thing that was keeping the young ruler from the most important One Thing. Jesus looked at Martha and this young man with love and desire to persuade them to choose Him over earthly things. Only He could satisfy their longing souls. 

He knows what keeps us from seeking and following Him too. He will reveal whatever hinders our relationship with Him in order to draw us closer to Him. He knows that He is our greatest need. May we desire and seek Him first, May all the distractions fade away as we gaze into His beautiful eyes of fire. May time in His presence be the most important one thing in our lives.