CAPTIVE TO ONE THING

 "This One thing I do" Paul said in Phil. 3:13-14, referring to pressing for the mark of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Earthly artists may speak of other mark-making. Secular psychologists speak of forgetting past traumas. While Paul was saying he will leave ALL behind, the good and the bad makes no difference, for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ!

Mary sat at Jesus' feet to listen to him talk to the other men visiting. In that day, adults, men especially, were given a place of prominence, but women and children were supposed to stay in the background, and as it is said in modern society, they were "seen but not heard." Here was Mary, a woman, SITTING plop at Jesus' the central speaker's feet! But then He said of her: "One thing is needful, and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her." (Lk. 10:42) Wow. What would I give to have Jesus say something like that about me?!

There is another "One thing" I think about in the Bible. Ps. 27:4. People think often of Solomon's prayer for wisdom when God asked him what he desired and mention how he was pleased. Well, He was pleased He heard "wisdom" instead of "riches" or "power" or "fame", granted; but far, far greater, methinks, was God's pleasure when He heard David, Solomon's father, respond: "One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold, the beauty of the LORD, and the inquire in his temple." (Ps. 27:4)

To be perfectly fair to Solomon, this was not in response to God's request to David as to what he wanted. It's only a guess that if He had asked him, this is what he would have said, since this is what he had expressed separately. All his life, David was given, not the spectacular house, throne, temple, peaceful kingdom, fame, that his son knew; rather, he grew up as a shepherd boy battling bears, lions, giants, jealous siblings, a murderous king, instability in the home, conflict in the nation. But in it all, his "one love" never changed. 

Lord, make me a captive to that kind of love too, all my life.