What on Earth are we Missing?

The news feeds have been saturated with one scandal after another. Daily we get updated on a famous billionaire entertainer who found himself in jail for a lavish lifestyle that included hedonistic parties with Hollywood elites, other news is about professional athletes, pastors, politicians, and the worlds most powerful people. The details coming out are horrific and leave you feeling sick to your stomach.

But before we can point the finger at the “world” we are daily hearing reports of yet another ministry leader falling. I was recently reading about a well known pastor in his 70’s that I have heard preach, who comes from the same tradition I do, caught in a five year affair with a lady in her 20’s.  Anyone who listened to his powerful Christ-centered sermons would not have believed this to be possible.

I was trying to process these two very different people both publicly exposed for all the world to see as I hiked up the mountain the other day, and I said to myself, “what on earth are we missing?”  The billionaire did everything his heart desired and it was never enough.  The pastor had sound Biblical theology and a worldwide ministry, he spoke boldly against the sin he committed even as he was deep in it.

My question brought me back to Martha and Mary who I’ve been writing about the last few weeks. If you remember Mary chose to sit at Jesus’ feet even though it cost her a tongue lashing from Martha for not helping in the kitchen. Jesus lovingly sorts it out by telling Martha, “Mary chose the One thing most important!” (Luke 10:42),

Mary’s encounter with Jesus was life changing. She was able to see what others, including His disciples missed. If we fast forward to another dinner where Martha is again in the kitchen serving Jesus and the crew and Mary is once again at Jesus feet (Matthew 26:6-13)  Side note, I believe this time Martha is at peace with Mary’s choice, as Martha had taken time to learn from Jesus and was okay using her gifts of hospitality to demonstrate her love to Jesus  and the others by serving a delicious meal. 

Mary is overwhelmed by what she knows to be true about Jesus – He is Everything she ever needed!  She responds to this indescribable realization by presenting an expensive alabaster jar of perfume, worth a whole years salary. Then she takes this  oil likely composed of essential oils and spices and pours it over Jesus’s head. This was all quite surprising to those observing, and once again she is lambasted, but this time by the disciples thinking this was a waste of kingdom resources.

Once again Jesus silences the room and declares she did a “beautiful thing!”  He goes on to explain her act of love was to prepare him for his burial.  At this moment Jesus declares, Mary truly sees the gift that Father had given IN Jesus. This love gift would take Him to the cross to die. There He would die for the worst of sinners in order to bring them back into the loving arms of the Father. No gift was too big for the love she received!

Earth will never give us what we are looking for. Only when we see and receive this most precious gift from heaven in Jesus will we be satisfied with all that we need. I love this quote by CS. Lewis:

“Aim at Heaven and you will get earth thrown in, aim at earth and you will get neither.”

May we keep aiming at heaven by daily praying – “Father don’t let me miss the One Thing Needed in Jesus. Send your Holy Spirit to daily open my spiritual eyes to experience the only love that will satisfy the deepest longing in my soul, amen!”