1 Thing – Finding Beauty

Bags are about packed and last minute details finalized for the trip to Africa. On Thursday the almost yearlong plans will be set into motion. Students from Parker Lutheran in Colorado and from Holland Christian in Michigan will both be traveling to the little country of Lesotho. All the dreaming and planning will be more than worth it once our feet hit the African soil. It truly is a privilege to experience God’s glory in His beautiful people and through the Divine Appointments He has waiting!

The 26 hours of flying plus the six hours of driving on a bus will take its toil on my rapidly aging body, yet the blessings far out way the temporary stiffness. Truth is the trip brings about a glorious ruin in our hearts as the presence and beauty of God is revealed via abandoned babies being loved, retreats for orphan high school students held, worship with the Besotho people being experienced, and service projects attempted and hopefully completed. Most everyone who goes on these trips leave forever transformed by what is encountered and any discomfort along the way cannot compare to the lasting impact.

The same is true for those willing to take the 1 Thing Journey in Psalm 27:4….

“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.”

The journey to the transforming power of the beauty of the LORD starts with “ask.” Something in your spirit moved by the Holy Spirit begins to cry out to the Father to take you home, you want to see His Face (vs. 8). As that prayer becomes your 1 Thing He begins to help you pack for the trip. The packing is not always easy as he asks us to unpack the baggage of sin and our self -centered lives so we can travel light. This demands we walk in faith right through the Cross of Christ, leaving everything else behind so that we can be clothed with His perfect love and power.

The cross readies us for the journey to see the Face of our Abba Father. We begin to seek Him by following after His Son Jesus. This too is not always easy as we seek to keep in step with where He is leading us. This demands time reading, studying, listening, and finally following Him on what may be a long hard journey. Yet, Jesus makes the incredible promise that the “askers and seekers” who continue on the journey will be finders of His Spirit (Luke 11:11-13). His transforming beauty will forever ruin those who find the Father and dwell in His House. Those who see His face through His Son Jesus Christ will testify that even though the trip is filled with pitfalls, pain, and a high price, it is worth it all to be forever ruined by His inexpressible love that comes from His Spirit.

My two greatest obsessions in life are to be gloriously ruined by the beautiful face of my Father’s love for me and to encourage others to take the same journey and gaze on His beautiful face. So whether you are traveling to Africa, vacationing with your family or going about your day to activities may you seek the beautiful face of God and find the treasure of 1 Thing.