One Question

"What a blessedness when I came to the knowledge that I had been looking in the wrong place, when I found that victory, sanctification, deliverance, purity, holiness -- all must be found in Christ Jesus Himself, not in some formula. When I claimed Jesus just for Himself, it became easy and the glory came to my life."

- Albert Benjamin Simpson; 1843-1919

In thinking about the unity of the church in recent weeks, the burning question on my heart has been, "Do we desire Jesus Christ above all things?" Not an idea of Christ, or an imitation of Him or a life of deeds similar to those recorded of Him, but actually Jesus Christ Himself.

As one of my favorite church mission statements says, "To know Him and to make Him known." Actually, I'm just concerned about the first half of that line, because I truly believe that if we really know Him, we will make Him known without even trying. We won't be able to help ourselves!

But I also believe that as fallen human beings, with ego dying a tediously slow death, if it is dying at all, the only honest answer to that question is "no." At worst, simply "no." At best, "not all of the time and probably not even most of the time."

So I have a follow-up question, "Do we want to desire Jesus Christ above all things?"

If the answer to that question is a "yes." If it is even a tearful whisper of "yes." Then, we have found the most firm and faithful common ground that exists on which to stand together and reflect Light into a dark and dying world.

If there is any hesitation at all, any second guessing or sideways glancing, I'm afraid there is not much unity to be attained. We will continue to be distracted and destroyed by a countless number of details and differences. I would say that the earth beneath our feet in that case is crumbling faster than we can try to scurry from one solid fragment to another.

The possibility for relationship from one answer is as precious and powerful as the possibility for separation from the other answer is tragic and disheartening. Yet, I believe there aren't many, if any other questions, that need to be asked of one another. And I don't believe this question is asked or answered nearly often enough.

"But if from there you will seek (inquire for and require as necessity) the Lord your God, you will find Him if you [truly] seek Him with all your heart [and mind] and soul and life" (Deuteronomy 4:29).

Do we "require as necessity" the Lord our God? "Inquire for Him" as though we cannot take another breath and have no desire to unless we attain Him in it? If we do not yet, do we desperately desire that kind of desperation for Jesus, the kind where we willingly and absolutely abandon everything else?

Israel Houghton put words to my heart's desire for every believer in the lyrics of his song, I Will Search . . . "O Majesty, I live to see your face and be transformed."

If this is our common cry, then what we are after is Love, and He has promised that we will find Him. Indeed, He will find us, and we will find one another as our hearts resonate together with His. And somehow, someday, by the mystery and grace of He Who Is greater than we can ever imagine, we will be the fulfillment of Christ's prayer. We will be One.