The Most Important Thing

Scripture to Ponder:

Luke 10:38-42

My son has always asked me random and quite unique questions on road trips to help pass the time. If a bear and an alligator fought, who would win? If you could only eat one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be? If you were stranded on a deserted island and could only take one thing, what would it be? Some of these questions lead to great conversations and some leave me truly pondering what I would do in each scenario, such as a deserted island. Insert thinking cloud above my head… deserted island…silence except for the sound of the waves gently meeting the shore, the sun warming my skin, the soft feeling of sand under my feet, not a cloud to be seen in the sky…I am not seeing this as a problem, son! Then he disturbs the daydream with adding in harsh elements, starvation, dehydration, and insects and I begin to see why the island appears to be an issue. If I must, we trudge through a discussion of his deserted island versus mine; although, I preferred mine immensely. While I may enjoy watching television shows of people trying to survive in the wilderness alone, I would not choose to be in that situation. I mean, I would give it my best effort for as long as I could if my life depended on it, but let's be honest, there are very few people that have the knowledge, skills, and desire.

I had a difficult time choosing just one item I would take on the deserted island. Each item presented itself necessary but left another problem close at hand. You would need shelter, food, clean drinking water, and so on. As each family member voiced their opinions another was quick to point out the problems that would be left from lacking other necessary items. There didn't seem to be just one item that would ensure your survival.

That one thing.

The one you cannot survive this life without.

The most important thing you can choose.

It's Jesus.

Sis, I don't mean the thing you need to make life more comfortable or bearable. I truly mean survival. He is that one thing we need to truly live. We need to be in his presence and set at his feet. We were created for that. The story of Martha and Mary is probably familiar, but if not let's catch you up. Jesus came to the sister's house and Mary sat at Jesus feet listening to him while Martha worried about serving them. She was worried about things that held no eternal purpose and complained to Jesus. We're like that sometimes. Caught up in daily life and routines and we neglect the thing that we need to survive. We focus on things that have no eternal purpose. We get distracted. Busy. Exhausted. Depleted. All the while the one thing we need and have unlimited access to is the one thing we neglect.

Just like physically being stranded on a deserted island where we would become dehydrated and starved if there are no resources, so to is our spiritual life if we neglect time with Christ. Sis, we need to set at his feet to survive. We need to pour ourselves out at his feet so that we are drinking from his living water and being filled. Otherwise, we become spiritually starved and cannot fight the spiritual battles ahead. Sis, He is the answer. He is always the answer. Time in his presence is the one thing that cannot be taken from us. It is the one thing in this life we need more than any other. Come set at his feet. He will sustain you.

Questions to Ponder:

1) Do I, at times, try to survive this life all on my own and neglect the one thing I need?

2) Is my relationship with Christ the most important thing? Have I become distracted or too busy?

3) Have I made time at his feet a daily priority in my life?