One Thing Only

Psalm 27

Last weekend all eyes were on the world of college football in Columbus, Ohio. Saturday night the Buckeyes made their case for getting into the College Football Playoff by defeating the Wisconsin Badgers in the Big Ten Championship game.

The waiting began for the Buckeye nation shortly after midnight when the game was over. Through the night the committee of thirteen people diligently hashed out what schools would be in the 4-team playoff… and who would not.

Finally, at noon on Sunday, the 4-hour announcement program began. Four 4 more hours! Unbelievable! But about an hour into the show, after tolerating the talking heads as they blabbed on about nothing, it was finally announced.

The wait had been excruciating… as all waiting is. We don’t like to wait do we? We

want what we want, when we want it. We don’t like the thought of waiting for someone else to have control over some part of our life.

According to my NIV study Bible, “David knew from experience what it meant to wait for the Lord. He had been anointed king at age 16, but didn’t become king until age 30. During the interim, he was chased through the wilderness by King Saul. Later, he was chased by his son Absalom.” Yet David waited patiently for the Lord.

¹⁴ Wait patiently for the Lord.
    Be brave and courageous.
    Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.          NLT

What gave David such confidence and contentment during these difficult times? For David, there was one thing only. For him, waiting patiently was directly proportionate to seeking the Lord and being in His presence.

⁴ One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple… ⁶ Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me…           NIV

Ultimately, the Buckeyes couldn’t count on the committee. But you can always count on the Lord! He may not always give us what we want, when we want it. But He is always with you. He loves you deeply and unconditionally. He is always faithful to His word. And you can take that to the playoffs every time.

Lilies of the Field

Matthew 6:25-34

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus was speaking to the masses. If you can imagine that during his sermon, he looks around at the crowd. He sees people from all walks of life.

Some are farmers; some are religious leaders; some are common laborers; some are sinners like tax collectors; some are beggars; and some are business men. All are struggling to survive.

 And what does Jesus tell them?

³¹ “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ ³² These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs.   NLT

If we look at our own life, we’re not all that different from the people in the crowd to whom Jesus was speaking. We are trying to survive; to get ahead in the world; to provide for our family; to live a comfortable lifestyle. We desperately try to control our world to accomplish our goals.

 Jesus isn’t speaking some pleasant sounding platitude like, “Don’t worry, be happy”. What he’s telling the people, and us, is that God is in control. He knows our needs. He loves us. He is always with us. He is always at work in our lives. So trust Him to provide for you, to meet your needs. Just how is this accomplished?

In 1963 there was a movie titled “Lilies of the Field” starring Sidney Poitier. The title

comes from today’s passage. It was about an itinerant handyman who stumbled upon some German nuns who were barely surviving in the Arizona desert.

They had faith in God that He would provide a church building for them. To Sidney Poitier’s chagrin, HE was the answer to their prayers. It’s a humorous, but touching story about how God provides.

³³ Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.         NLT

That’s what the nuns were doing; that’s what we are to do. It’s not a formula. It’s how you live. Seek God. Then look to see how God is providing for you; how God is at work in your life. And like the lilies of the field, God will provide.