"The One Thing"
August 23, 2016
But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her." Luke 10:41-42
On August 3rd an Emirate Airline jet crash landed at Dubai's International Airport.
Experts report the pilots did well in avoiding a total disaster. Film footage from the plane shows the other airline employees did their job too. In a desire to get the 300 people off the plane as quickly as possible, they opened the emergency doors and deployed the evacuation slides.
From there the escape should have been a simple process.
It should have been, but it wasn't.
Here's the problem: the plane was on fire, the cabin was filling with smoke. The passengers, who should have been making an orderly exit, didn't. No, they didn't panic and they didn't push. On the contrary, they acted as if everything was almost normal.
By that I mean they took their time. They stopped to get their carry-on luggage and all the stuff they had stored under their seats and in the overhead bins. They slowed things down; they blocked the aisles; they put everyone's life at risk.
To make a long story short, all the passengers managed to get off the plane. The last of them hit the tarmac just before the jet exploded. All were safe, but they were saved more by accident than by plan. If the plane had blown up a minute or two earlier, the death toll would have been much higher. Yes, this time the story turned out all right.
But that is not the way it will be for many who need to escape sin, death and devil.
Centuries ago, the Savior told well-intentioned Martha that her sister had it right -- that Mary had found the one thing that was necessary. She had been brought to her Redeemer, and He had given her salvation. In contrast, Martha had busied herself with things that were less important and secondary.
Over the years I have seen many others walk in Martha's footsteps. They need the Savior and His blood-bought gift of eternal life. He remains the one thing which is necessary, but they busy themselves with
* getting and keeping a job;
* searching for someone whom they can love and who will love them;
* the vacation cabin;
* the golf outing, the fishing trip, the grand getaway.
Now none of these things are bad. Indeed, most of them are good and worthwhile as long as they don't interfere with a person being given the one thing which remains necessary: the Savior and the forgiveness He freely offers.
So, whether you are on a crashed jet or just walking through life, I pray you will remember there is still only one thing which is necessary: Jesus, God's Son, our Savor.
THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, grant that my priorities may be proper and pleasing to You. This I pray in Jesus' Name. Amen.
