One thing I seek: to dwell in the house of the Lord.  Psalm 27

When I hear this response from Psalm 27 I instantly think of Curly from the popular 80's movie City Slickers.  You remember the part when Curly held up his one finger and stated that there's just "one thing" to figure out in life.

By the 5th chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, the apostles had figured out their "one thing."   The reading reports that the apostles were "full of joy that they had been judged worthy of ill treatment for the sake of his Name."  Their "one thing" was to follow Jesus completely.  They could not stop from teaching and proclaiming the Good News.  So inspired by their "one thing," their lives were forever changed.

In John chapter 6, Jesus hints at his "one thing."  The gospel reading is about Jesus feeding the five thousand.  The reading tells about a miraculous prelude to the Bread of Life discourse, where Jesus reveals his "one thing" - Presence.  Look at it this way.  God wants to be present with us so much that he becomes human and resides amidst the human condition.  As he realizes that his time is coming to an end, he institutes a ritual that allows him to continually be present, the Bread of Life.  Maybe there should be a scripture verse that reads, "God so loved the world that he sent his only son so that he could always be present among his people."

God's desire to be present really makes sense.  Think of the loved ones in your life.  Isn't your greatest gift to them your full presence?  A student once told me that my presence at her father's funeral was far better than any comforting words or cards I may have sent.  When someone is fully present to us throughout the ups and downs of our lives it speaks volumes to the depth and breadth of their love for us.  We have a God who is present to us and who encourages us to be present to those in need.  God's groovy design is that when we step out to help others, we also experience the God who steps out to help us. Isn't that what we want most from God anyway, God's presence?

So in these Easter days when the weather is warming and the nature around us is springing forth with new life, contemplate what your "one thing" is.  I bet that "one thing" will speak abundantly about the degree to which you experience God's presence.