One thing. This week my pastor encouraged us to consider our focus, or “one thing.” What is the Holy Spirit currently prompting us to focus on? While our focus may look different at any point in time, the goal of that focus seems always to be a closer relationship with God.

     While in a prison cell in Rome, the Apostle Paul wrote the one thing he did was continue to press forward with the goal of becoming all Christ had created him to be. To mature in Christ, he let go of the past and focused on the future, or the upward call of God.

     Phil 3:12-14—”Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. NKJV

     To satisfy his desire to be closer to the Lord, David determined the one thing he could do was dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of his life. For David, the temple was the place to have intimate fellowship with the Lord. Following Christ’s resurrection those who follow Him have opportunity for this intimate fellowship because we are the temple of the Holy Spirit. When we seek this close relationship, we see the beauty of the Lord and have conversation with Him.

Ps 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.” NKJV

When Martha and her sister Mary had an opportunity to host Jesus and his disciples, Mary sat at His feet to hear all He said while Martha was distracted by dinner preparations. Jesus told Martha the one thing she needed to do was sit down and listen to his teaching rather than catch a bit here and there as she completed her “to do” list.

     Luke 10:41-42—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.” NKJV

     The rich young ruler in the book of Mark did not yet have a relationship with God, but he desired one. So he asked Jesus what he was missing? Jesus told him he had built treasure on earth rather than in heaven and his love of money was keeping him from loving God.

     Mark 10:21–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.” NKJV

     To grow closer to Jesus look for that “one thing” that is required to accomplish this intimacy. Is our past getting in the way? Are we forgetting the Holy Spirit indwells us? Is our “to do” list so full we are not spending time in God’s Word? Have we allowed an idol to split our loyalty?

     Each day let’s look for that “one thing” needed to remain close to God, walking and talking with Him, and growing in understanding of His ways.

Contemplate Your Ways:

1-What is the “one thing” you need to do today to grow closer to God?

2-Which of the Scriptural examples in this blog did you most identify with and why?