"ONE THING HAVE I DESIRED OF THE LORD"
Psalm 27:4
Like David, let us set our hearts upon "one thing", and seek that to the
exclusion of all other things, and let the "one thing" we seek be the Lord Jesus Christ himself. Grant me
Thyself, O Lord, and I will ask no more.
Concentrated Affection
If I understand the aim and purpose of the gospel I
preach it is just this: It is to cause all the capacities, powers, talents,
ambitions, and affections of our hearts to be concentrated upon one object and
to beat with one pulse for that object. And that one object upon which our
hearts must be fixed is the Son of God, our blessed Redeemer, the Lord Jesus
Christ. “Set your affection on things
above.”
Oh, that God would make us a
people with one, solitary object possessing our beings, a people whose hearts
burn with desire for nothing but Christ! This is my prayer, "Lord, compel
me, by whatever means necessary, by the irresistible power and grace of your
Spirit, to set my heart upon Christ alone."
Christ ot the World
I know this: You and I must choose what we will seek
and what we will serve. It will either be Christ and the cause of his glory in
this world, or it will be the world and the lusts of our own flesh. We cannot
serve both. And we cannot have both. "Ye
cannot serve God and mammon" (Matt. 6:24). "Choose you this day whom ye will serve" (Josh. 24:15).
Will you serve Christ or
self? Will you seek Christ, or the lusts of your flesh? This is a choice that
is made at the beginning of the walk of faith. But it is also a choice that is
made day by day in every believer's experience. And the older we get, the
longer we live in this world, the more difficult it is to renounce the world,
say no to the flesh, take up our crosses daily, and follow Christ. But it must
be done! "Seek ye first,"
above all else, to the exclusion of all else, "the kingdom of God," the rule of Christ in your heart, "and his righteousness," the
righteousness of Christ by faith, and all other things will be supplied by your
heavenly Father (Matt. 6:33). "Lay
not up for yourselves treasures upon earth" (Matt. 6:19). Earthly
treasures of every kind are vanity. Do not set your heart upon vanity.
“Jesus, I Thy
cross have taken, All to leave and follow Thee;
Earthly
treasures all forsaken, -- Thou from hence my all shall be.
Perish every
fond ambition – All I’ve sought and hoped and known!
Yet, how rich
is my condition – God and heaven are still my own!”