“The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace and remain at rest” (Exodus 14:14 Amplified).
After the birth of our fourth child, I had a routine physical examination. The results: uterine cancer. Fear strangled me. I needed ‘only one thing’ from Father God. Life.
Feeling hopeless and deep despair, I opened my Bible the night before surgery. Psalms bring comfort when life takes you down. My eyes fixated on Psalm 128. “May the Lord bless you from Zion all the days of your life; may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem and may you live to see your children’s children” (Psalm 128: 5-6 NIV).
God’s Word shines brightest in the darkest hour.
Because I desperately wanted to raise our children, I claimed the promise “may you live to see your children’s children." I reached the end of my rope and held it with all my might. My mind and heart would not let go of the precious words: ‘see your children’s children.'
As the anesthesiologist put me to sleep, I knew God was awake and would take care of me.
King David had a profound, genuine love for the Lord. While receiving death threats from his enemies, he put his yearnings into songs. “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 NIV).
Martha and Mary of Bethany often refreshed Jesus during his earthly ministry. As Martha labored to prepare a meal, Mary sat down at Jesus’ feet and listened to Him teach. This upset Martha and she asked Jesus to persuade Mary to help her.
“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed” (Luke 10:41-42 NIV).
Before Paul’s conversion, he persecuted followers of “The Way”. He felt shameful guilt and wretchedness over his past. “Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But, [only] one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead” (Phil 3:13 NIV). It was vital that Paul didn’t let his previous failures hinder future work of spreading the gospel.
King David, Mary and Paul had burning desires for only One thing --Jesus. And, Jesus is enough.
