You are so anxious and concerned about a million details, but really, only one thing matters. Mary has chosen that one thing, and I won’t take it away from her. (Luke 10:41)

I heard the Lord repeat these words from Luke to me today. I was sitting in the little chapel that I like to visit and talking to the Lord about all of the things I needed to do, and how I needed his help to do more.

It’s funny now as I write about it. The irony of it all. I’m sitting in the quiet chapel to presumably spend time with Jesus, and I’m anxious about all that I should, could, and need to be doing. Can you help me do more Lord? Can you help me be more disciplined? Can you help me gain more success?

And in the middle of this prayer list of laments, I hear the stillness of his voice as he reminds me in the chapel:

‘Oh Connie, Connie, you are so anxious and concerned about a million details, but really only one thing matters. You have chosen that one thing (remember, that’s why you’ve come to the chapel right?), and I won’t take it away from you.’ Come and sit at my feet. Do not measure your success by the world’s standards. Do not measure your productivity by worldly gains.

Measure your success and your productivity in relation to me.

Are you more loving today than you were yesterday?
Are you more patient?
Are you more kind?
Are you becoming more like me?

All these earthly things the world looks for – but you, seek first the Kingdom. Sit at my feet. And all these higher things will be added to you.

Jesus calls the one sitting at his feet successful. He says you have success, the better part, when you have learned how to sit at his feet.

What we are doing is always secondary to who we are becoming.

So Jesus says, come and sit at my feet. Learn of me, and you’ll find out that my yoke is easy and my burden is light.

Everything that we’re looking for can be found at the feet of Jesus.

In the stillness with Him is where the dreams of your heart are revealed. And it is where his plans are sealed. But did you know that when God imparts a new vision, or direction, or plan, he usually sends us to just – sit?

It is the time of separation. He sets you apart and there’s only one agenda: to be with him, and to receive from him.

Elijah was sent to sit by a brook at the pinnacle of his ministry. He sat there at the Brook Cherith (which literally means “separation” or “cutting away”) and learned to receive from a God who commanded ravens to provide for him. (1 Kings 17)

Paul was sent into the Arabian Desert for three years after his conversion. He sat and learned at the feet of Jesus. (Gal. 1:11-24)

Our Lord Jesus himself was led into the wilderness for 40 days at the start of his earthly ministry. He was fed in communion with the Father. (Matt. 4; Luke 4)

Everything we need is found at the feet of Jesus.

This one thing – learning to sit with him, to commune with the One who made us, to simply be with him, is the reason we are alive. It is the most important thing.

All of his purpose, all of his destiny, all of his empowering comes out of that secret place of communion. It is in him that we live and we move and we have our being. (Acts 17:28)

You were created for this.
You were made for this one thing – to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple.

You were made for gazing.

This is your Father’s house. Will you rest here?

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This One Thing