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The One
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by Tom Gilbert
You and I are probably a lot alike. We like to do
the things that please us; we get upset when things don’t go the
way we want. We enjoy the good times and struggle through the bad.
Then again, you and I may be completely different. Your taste in music, food and
theater may be the opposite of mine. Your sports team is not mine. You say “po-tay-to”,
I say “po-tah-to”.
And, I, like you, reserve the right to change my opinion.
We can be such a mass of contradictions.
Moments of Clarity
Because we are human beings full of likes, dislikes, and contradictions it can often be a real challenge
to find clarity in life. It’s easy for me to clutter my day with too many things. In
the resulting confusion I can easily wander off in the wrong direction.
To stay focused we must have a light that leads us. The amazing thing
about God is that he came into our world as the light that brings us
home. I love the way it is expressed in the Gospel of John:
1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the
Word was God. 2He was with God in the beginning.
3Through him all things were made; without him nothing
was made that has been made. 4In him was life, and that life was the
light of men. 5The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has
not understood it. (John 1-5)
As we enter yet another new year many of us will again resolve to do
those things we sense we should do. We want to improve our lives and
accomplish dreams. We set goals and strive for improvement.
Quite often in our good intentions we begin to fall once more into
the trap of competing and confusing priorities.
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Simplify
I’m intrigued by the possibilities
that come from simplifying my life. Is it better to have a whole
list of resolutions, or can I actually make more progress
by concentrating on just one thing?
In Luke’s gospel we are told about the time Jesus visited the home of Martha and Mary. Luke 10:38-42:
As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came
to a village where a woman named Martha opened her
home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat
at the Lord's feet listening to what he said. But Martha
was distracted by all the preparations that had to
be made. She came to him and asked, "Lord, don't
you care that my sister has left me to do the work
by myself? Tell her to help me!"
"Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you
are worried and upset about many things, but only one
thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and
it will not be taken away from her."
The Master is reminding us not to be misled by what
we sometimes think is most important.
What’s Lacking?
At another time a rich young man with good intentions asked
Jesus "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" (Mark 10:17). This man had been keeping
the commandments the best way he knew how, but he lacked something. His heart was telling
him to seek out what was missing. Jesus looked at him with love and told
him: "One thing you lack," he said. "Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and
you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." (Mark 10:21)
Sadly, this man was not ready to accept this truth.
Keeping On
Paul spent his time after his conversion discovering the rich truth of following Christ. He
told others it was important to move forward, to not dwell in the
past and to press on. He knew he hadn’t made it to the finish line, but he kept running the race.
Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is
behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has
called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:13).
There are many good things to strive for: knowledge, wisdom, acceptance, humility, forgiveness,
mercy, enthusiasm, willingness and selfless service. They are all related
and they all come together under the banner of one
thing. That one thing is love. The unconditional love
expressed by God and modeled by our ultimate teacher and brother, Jesus Christ.
What “one thing” should we be concentrating on? Where is our focus?
Here’s the resolve to make, not just on New Year’s Day, but every day: love everyone - always.
It starts by loving God and accepting God’s love. And it’s only possible with God’s help.
“Let a man set his heart only on doing the will of God and he is instantly
free. If we understand our first and sole duty to consist of loving God supremely
and loving everyone, even our enemies, for God's dear sake, then we can enjoy spiritual
tranquility under every circumstance.”
— A. W. Tozer (1897-1963), The Pursuit of God [1948]
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Scripture taken from the
Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®.Copyright ©
1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. All rights
reserved throughout the world. Used by permission of International
Bible Society.
NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION® and NIV® are registered
trademarks of International Bible Society. Use of either
trademark for the offering of goods or services requires
the prior written consent of International Bible Society.
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy
Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996. Used
by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton,
IL 60189, USA. All rights reserved.
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JOHN 15:11 |
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"I have told you this so that my joy may be in
you and that your joy may be complete."
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(NIV) |
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