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 to seek him in his temple. (Psalm 27:4)

In the movie City Slickers, Billy Crystal asks Jack Palance what life is about. He says, "One thing." The truth of this statement lies in what it says about human nature. We gather ourselves around one thing. We are made as jars of clay that hold one treasure. We are made to serve one master. "One thing" is all we can really hold.



In these days of desperately juggling my things and appointments, I find that I long for a life of one thing.  Apparently I can worry about many things, but I can only be truly devoted to one thing. So this hardened cowboy seems to understand this fact of life. Although many things call (or scream) for my attention, only one thing truly has it.


There is one thing which will come out one top in the end. One thing will push all the others down. One thing will be the priority of my moments and my days. One thing will be what I slowly or frantically head for. Other things will be made to serve it.


The Psalmist calls out his "one thing." Dwelling with God so that he might gaze upon his beauty. What is this beauty of the Lord? What could be so engrossing to occupy my whole life as my "one thing?" Worship is included in this, no doubt, but there is much more.


There is safety and strength in this faithful gaze on God. Jesus said to Martha, who was worried about many things, that Mary's gaze of devotion on Jesus as her "one thing" would not be taken from her. This is the promise in this Psalm. Such faith will not be taken through force or hatred.


In this dwelling with God, I will not be forsaken. Even my father and mother may forsake me, but God will receive me. I may find I cannot see him at times, my gaze will be clouded. God will not forsake me, though. I will call out and he will answer. I can wait on him confidently.


In this midst of this gaze, the Lord will teach me his ways. Only his ways provide protection from those who would harm me. His lessons are not about avoiding harm, but about drawing near to him so that I will be free from harm. In a faithful gaze upon the beauty of the Lord, I will find life that cannot be extinguished.


Lord, let me dwell with you and gaze upon you all the days of my life. Let my wonder and love never cease. Let this be my faith: the faith of Mary who sat at Jesus' feet, gazing and listening. Amen.


A.Z. Tozer talks about this gaze being faith in The Pursuit of God. Through Jesus and his Spirit, I need not rely on temples and sacrifices to gaze upon God's beauty. These shadows point to the light of salvation: Christ. His word, his life, his cross, and his resurrection will occupy my gaze for all eternity. . . . starting today.