One thing
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 (Philippians 3:13-14).
Jesus Christ appeared from glory to Saul on the road to Damascus. The young man whose vision was to destroy the Church of Christ was blinded by the experience. Ananias, one of the saints Saul had come to persecute, was sent by the Lord to recover his sight. So began a journey that lasted the rest of the Apostle Paul’s life. His hatred for Christ and His Church was replaced by a love for the Saviour and His sheep. He had a single purpose: to live by faith in the Son of God who loved him and gave Himself for him (Galatians 2:20). In Philippians 3:13-14, Paul expresses how his whole life was directed, shaped and fulfilled in Christ.
In Mark 10, we have a remarkable verse of Scripture. It is one of the few occasions when the Lord’s love for one individual is expressed. A godly man ran to Jesus to ask what he could do to inherit eternal life. We are told, “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’” (v. 21). Like for Saul, that moment should have been the glorious beginning of a life in Christ. Instead, the man allowed one thing to turn him away from the love of Christ. It takes only “one thing” to turn people away from Christ. And as Christians, we also have to be aware of the single issues which can disrupt and damage our discipleship, service and fellowship. We avoid this by making some critical decisions about our life in Christ, our witness for Christ, and our hope in Christ.
In Luke 10, we see Mary simply sitting at the feet of Jesus, listening to His word. When Martha protested that she needed Mary to help her, the Lord replied, “One thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her” (v. 42). Mary is always found at the feet of Jesus. She placed enormous value on His presence and His words and gave us an abiding sense of what it is to worship the Lord (John 12). She teaches us that abiding in Christ is the “one thing” necessary to express our life in Christ.
In John 9, when the man who had been born blind, and was healed by Jesus, was confronted by hostile opposition to the Saviour, he answered, “One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see” (v. 25). We each have a unique story of how the Lord has saved and blessed us, and it is one He wants us to share.
In Peter’s final letter to the people of God, he writes, “But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day” (2 Peter 3:8). Peter helps us understand that the single hope we have in Christ is sure. God is not confined by time. He is eternal. He created time to express His love through Christ. And within the confines of our lives, we witness to His eternal love and purposes in Christ.
May we never lose sight of the Saviour who saved us and set us on a journey of faith that looks exclusively to Him. And on that journey, may we constantly know His presence, trust His word, offer our lives as living sacrifices, declare our experience of His love, and look on to the hope we have in Christ, whilst experiencing its purifying power.
