"What is your One Thing?"

"One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and seek him in his temple. (Ps.27:4)

Check out Paul Tripp's blog. Recently I have been reading his blog, and have found it to be most encouraging! Here's a quote from this blog entry from "What is your One Thing?" based off the verse above:


"It's an incredible statement, one that I'm not sure I could honestly make. It's made even more powerful when you realize that it's written by a man who's under attack. His "one thing" isn't safety, or vindication, or victory. His "one thing" isn't power, control, or retribution. No, even under personal duress, the "one thing" that David wishes for is to be in God's house taking in the grandeur and glory of the beauty of the Lord. This desire was designed to be the central motivating desire of every person created by God and made in his image. And yet, this side of the Garden, it seems a statement that could only ever be made by a deeply devout human being.

It does beg the question, "What's your one thing?" What's the "one thing" that your heart craves? What's the "one thing" that you think would change your life? What's the "one thing" that you look to for satisfaction, contentment, or peace? What's the "one thing" that you mourn that you've had to live without? What's the "one thing" that fills your day-dreams and commands your sleepy meditations? What's your one thing?

The spiritual reality for many of us is that that "one thing" is not the Lord. And the danger in that reality is this; your "one thing" will control your heart and whatever controls your heart will exercise inescapable influence over your words, choices, and actions. Your "one thing" will become the one thing that shapes and directs your responses to the situations and relationships of your daily life. If the Lord isn't your "one thing," the thing that is your "one thing" will be your functional lord."

Wow, this hit me...it's so crazy how easily we can make something become our "one thing" in replace of our Lord. I fall into this when I think of the future. I get a little panicky when I start to consider what is to come after I graduate? I realize that I DON'T NEED TO KNOW TODAY what the future is because it's not something I can control or even worry about for today!! I wonder what the Lord has for me...and wonder if the desires I have today are even going to come to pass? Yet, I'm reminded now of I Cor. 2:9 say that we can even imagine what the Lord has for us...because He is that loving towards us! We do know that He desires to conform us into His image for His glory. We know that He will NOT STOP changing us...until He completes what He started in us!


This is encouraging and this is my hope: that the Lord would be my "One Thing", for He alone holds all things and is worthy of all our worship. We were created to worship this King and find our heart's satisfaction in Him alone!


A side note:
Paul Tripp is an author and Biblical Counseling for CCEF in Phili. I'm reading one of his books for my classes this semester, "How People Change".
This book is very practical and helpful in considering our sanctification process and how the Gospel is really that powerful to change us, making us into His image for His glory!

You should read it! :)