Week 1 - One Thing I Ask

“One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple.” (Psalm 27:4)

Every year, around this time, people around the world get caught up by the “New Year Resolution” fever. We resolve to start the New Year by eating healthier, being punctual, spending time with friends and family, and putting more effort into our studies and jobs.

But wait a minute. Don’t people say, “New Year resolutions are made to be broken?” People tend to break their resolutions within a few days or weeks. It seems to me that the reason is due to a lack of single-mindedness, the lack of focus on the one thing that matters most. The intention may be there but the attention is somewhere else.

In what way can our spiritual life and discipleship be strengthened in this New Year? What is the “one thing” that would draw us closer to God? Spiritual growth will not take place in our lives unless it becomes the focus of our prayers.

Psalm 27:4 contains a single-minded desire to daily live in an ongoing, intimate relationship with the Lord. King David, who wrote this psalm, focused his prayer on the one thing that matters most to him in the midst of adversity (see the verses before and after). His prayer has three dimensions.

To Dwell in the House of the LORD

Firstly, David wants to dwell in the Lord’s house. The house of the Lord is where God is. David’s supreme heart’s desire is a consuming passion to be in the presence of the Lord God Himself.

In a literal sense, to dwell in the house of the Lord for us as Christians refers to coming to church to worship Him. We should come to church — the house of God — each Sunday, not by dragging our feet but by walking with a spring in our steps. We should come with singing: “I will enter His gates with thanksgiving in my heart; I will enter His gate with praise!”

This desire to dwell in the house of the Lord, in another sense, is fulfilled for us in Christ who calls us to abide in Him and who promises to abide in us (John 15:4 ). The Greek verb for “abide” means “to dwell, to remain.” To dwell in the house of the Lord is to open our heart’s door to Christ and to allow His Spirit’s presence to fill us every moment of our lives. In other words, it is to live in His presence.

To Gaze Upon the Beauty of the LORD

Secondly, David wishes to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord.

The Hebrew term for “beauty” when applied to God is not a “looks” word but a “character” word; it means His kindness, favour and graciousness. When we worship God in church or in private devotion, we learn of His beauty through the Scriptures, sermons and songs.

The beauty of His grace and favour are revealed to us in Jesus Christ. It is only in gazing upon Him that we are changed to be like Him (see 2 Corinthians 3:18 ); it is only in gazing upon Him that praise comes alive, devotion is real and prayer is precious. The more we gaze upon His beauty, the more we will become like Him — lovely, kind and gracious.

Having gazed upon the beauty of Jesus, we are to reflect that beauty for God’s glory. The hymn writer Albert Orsborn probably had this in mind when he wrote, “Let the beauty of Jesus be seen in me.” In worship, we behold His beauty; in service we reflect His beauty.

To Seek Him in His Temple

Thirdly, David desires to seek God in His temple.

The Hebrew word translated “seek” means “to seek with delight,” “to inquire,” “to meditate,” “to contemplate,” “to consult” or “to pray.” When we seek Him, we are open to hearing His word spoken to us and not just our words uttered to Him. We want our lives to be lived for His glory and therefore, we desire to seek His good, perfect and acceptable will.

We must learn to wait after our spoken prayers for God to speak. When we take the time to be open and responsive to Him, often a clear word will come, inscribed upon our minds.

In this psalm of David, notice the progression of thought. First, we dwell with the Lord and Him with us in an intimate relationship. Then, we behold His beauty in our worship and praise. Finally, we seek His direction and will for our lives.

For Your Reflection

At the turn of this New Year, would you ask for riches, health, good grades or a better job? Or would you ask, as David did, for a closer walk with God?

May the Lord keep and guide you during this New Year and beyond. May you seek to live in His presence, glorifying Him in whatever you do and wherever you are.