Thursday, November 05, 2009

Purity of Heart is to Will One Thing....

I've wasted 40 minutes trying to find a clip of the song running through my mind "one thing" and I KNOW it's a song, I KNOW I've heard it on KLOVE or Air 1 and it's not the one that keeps showing up. ::snort:: Forget the song.

In Sunday School we've been reading, "Devotional Classics". I've been surprised by how much I enjoy it. I tend to be a, "teach me the Word and the Word only" sort of gal. ::snort:: But WOW.... In this book the editors include quotes from "classics" built around eight topics: Preparing for the Spiritual Life, the Prayer-Filled Life, the Virtuous Life, the Spirit-Empowered Life, the Compassionate Life, the Word-Centered Life, and the Sacramental Life. There are over 50 excerpts. We'll not cover them all. Honestly, I would like to consider one a week with Jared and Mike. We'll see if that happens. To give you an idea of the variety of authors we've read from C.S. Lewis, Henri J.M. Nouwen, Gregory of Nyssa, Madame Guyon, Soren Kierkegaard and Martin Luther.

This week I've been reviewing some prayers from Soren Kierkegarrd that we talked about last week. This one speaks to intimacy...

"What is all our striving, could it ever encompass a world, but a
half-finished work if we do not know You: You the One, who is one
thing and who is all!

So may You give to the intellect, wisdom to comprehend that one thing; to the
heart, sincerity to receive this understanding; to the will, purity that wills
only one thing. In prosperity may You grant perseverance to will one thing; amid
distractions, collectedness to will one thing; in suffering, patience to will
one thing. (in time of repentance) may you give the courage once
again to will one thing." From "Purity of the Heart is to will one thing by Soren Kierkegaard"

This is what I've been praying (though not as eloquently the past months)....the ONE thing in my life is HIM...intimacy with Him, relationship with Him.... the title alone gives me much food for thought: Purity of Heart is to Will One thing.....

May you blessed today as you pursue the One who is truly the one thing worth pursuing.


Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

6 comments:

Linda said...

any other lyrics...or just the title "one thing"? Sometimes if you google a part of the lyrics (in quotes) then put lyrics outside the quotes, you'll get the song!

DeEtta @ Courageous Joy said...

I googled what I remembered and it's not coming up "One thing, He's my one thing".... LOL

Jen said...

It's not Rich Mullins "My One Thing" is it? http://www.kidbrothers.net/npp.html#mot. It is an old song, so I am not sure, but just in case!

I like that devotional book as well. And I learned of it from Rich's brother David. :-)

Linda said...

that's the one I picked up on:
Everybody I know says they need just one thing
And what they really mean is that they need just one thing more
And everybody seems to think they've got it coming
Well I know that I don't deserve You
Still I want to love and serve You more and more
You're my one thing

Save me from those things that might distract me
Please take them away and purify my heart
I don't want to lose the eternal for the things that are passing
'Cause what will I have when the world is gone
If it isn't for the love that goes on and on with

My one thing
You're my one thing
And the pure in heart shall see God
You're my one thing
You're my one thing
And the pure in heart shall see God

Who have I in Heaven but You Jesus?
And what better could I hope to find down here on earth?
I could cross the most distant reaches
Of this world, but I'd just be wasting my time
'Cause I'm certain already, I'm sure I'd find

You're my one thing (one thing)
You're my one thing (one thing)
And the pure in heart shall see God
You're my one thing (one thing)
You're my one thing (one thing)
And the pure in heart shall see God

Every night and every day
You hold on tight
Or you drift away
And you're left to live
With the choices you make
Oh Lord please give me the strength
To watch and work and love and sing and pray

'Cause who have I in Heaven but You Jesus?
And what better could I hope to find down here on earth?
Well I could cross the most distant reaches
Of this world, but I'd just be wasting my time
'Cause I'm certain already I'm sure I'd find

You're my one thing

DeEtta @ Courageous Joy said...

I am SUCH a goon! I was sure I'd heard it recently but THAT is it...and explains why I can't find a clip to post.

Thanks Jen and Linda.....

Jen said...

Glad to help. Wish there was a clip for you. There's not even a sound file of it on the Rich Mullins site, just the music, no lyrics.

It's on the Never Picture Perfect album if you can find that.