One Thing

For me, there is one scripture in the whole Bible that just sums it all up. It doesn’t matter what you are going through or what you need, this scripture has the answer. The first time I read it, it captured my heart and beckoned me to make its words my sole purpose in life.

“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 in His temple.” Psalm 27:4

When we pray, what do we pray about? When we seek God, what do we expect to find? More often than not I find myself praying about my needs, my wants, my desires for my children and family. I desire answers to my problems and changes to my sinful heart. All of these things are good, and God does wish to give them to us, but our desire should not be here. There should only be one desire of our heart, and that is God.

But wait, don’t all the things I just listed have to do with God? Yes, in a way they do, but God doesn’t want us to desire what He can do for us. He wants us to come before His throne with ONE THING on our mind: Him. He wants us to seek Him just to know who He is, to see His beauty, to know His heart.

Do you have a sick child? Seek the heart of God. Do you have a sin you just can’t seem to conquer? Seek the heart of God. When my husband and I were trying for our first baby, it was hard for me not to pray about it ALL the time (especially as the months drug on and those sticks kept coming up negative). I eventually realized that God knew my need and I needed to stop focusing on IT and turn my focus on HIM. When we dwell in the presence of the Lord, when we see His glory and know who He is, then the answers we seek will come and God will do what God does best: pour His mercy and blessings out onto His children.

I’m not saying you shouldn’t talk to God about those other things. Just don’t let it be your focus.

Go ahead, try it. Not for a day, or a week, or a month. Make it your sole purpose in life. When you pray, ask God to reveal Himself to you. When you read your Bible, let those spirit-inspired words uncover His face. When you worship, let the melody usher you into His presence so that you may see just how beautiful He really is.

Oh, and if you believe the Bible to be truth like I do, you need not worry. Your time will not be wasted. How do I know? Because God made us this promise:

“And you will seek me and find me, when you search for me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:13

I don’t know about you, but those words make my heart long to see this promise fulfilled in my life. Time to start seeking.