The One Thing

"[God loves you and I so much,] that He gave His one and only Son, so that, whoever believes in Jesus will never perish, but have everlasting life."

- Jesus, John 3:16 (paraphrase mine - smile!)

Curly: "You know what the secret of life is?"

Mitch: "No, what?"

Curly:  (holds up his leather gloved hand and points his index finger) "This."

Mitch: "Your finger?"

Curly: "One thing, just one thing."

Mitch: "That's great, but what's the one thing?"

Curly: "That's what you've got to figure out."

- Billy Crystal in the movie, "City Slickers"

One day, a student asked the great theologian, Karl Barth:

"Dr. Barth, of all the books ever written about God… of all the sermons ever delivered about God… of all the doctrines ever composed about God… what is the most important thing to know about God?" Smiling, the theologian said, "It all comes down to this one thing, 'Jesus loves me… this I know!'"

God came down from Heaven, into our neighborhood, in the person of Jesus to make everything right for us at the core of our being… even when everything at the fringes of our life… might be wrong!

Through His death and resurrection, Jesus made us friends with God again.

He let it be known to all of us, once and for all, that when we are confronted by the God who made us and holds us in His hands… that we are facing a God who loves us and who wants the best for us! Believing this one thing is what keeps us steady in the storm… is what keeps us smiling through the tears… is what keeps us getting up one more time than we fall.

"Jesus loves me...this I know"...is the One Thing that keeps me right – at the core of my being – when everything at the fringes of my life is wrong!

Last week, my 7 year old granddaughter, Roux, came home from her first softball game, burst into the house shouting, "Mom! Mom! We Won! We Won!... I played great!" "Wonderful!" Mom replied, "Wonderful!" And then Nate gave Sarah the facts.

"The truth is," he said, "They got killed… 22-1. The girls on the other team were huge and the pitcher was the coach’s daughter… and she threw bullets… nobody could hit the ball… except Roux and Laura.. .and Roux's hit was a foul ball but the parents on our team were so excited that they cheered for Roux's foul ball like it was a homerun. And Laura… well, let's just say… the ball accidentally hit the bat and even though the ball did not make it out of the infield… Laura just never stopped running until she crossed the plate. And Roux's team went crazy… they felt like they won the championship.”

The numbers on the scoreboard were not as important as the scoreboard in their hearts!

Apparently, Roux believes that you don't have to "win" in order to feel like a winner! And that's the secret of believing the One Thing! Every time I read something about Mother Theresa, I sense a mystifying joy at the center of a life married to a ministry of misery and mercy. In this world, our joy has to come "in spite of"... because… isn't it true… things will never be perfect.

So… how do you and I experience joy – the sense that everything is right at the core of our being? In spite of… marriage problems, health challenges, financial difficulties, and heartbreaking loss? Because, at the center of your soul, you choose to believe this One Thing: "Jesus Loves me... this I know!"

You keep the door of your heart open to that TRUTH… AND YOU CAN FEEL LIKE A WINNER… even when you're not winning!

AMEN

Pastor Harry

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