To Find the One

On Sunday, I was struck by a song that was played during the offering. I came home and looked it up and found that it was written by Paul Alan and is called “Only to Bring you Back”. Here are the lyrics to the chorus:

“I left the ninety-nine, to find the one. And you’re the one! I walked a thousand miles in the desert sun, only to bring you back.”

I love the chorus because it makes me think of the world today. We Christians have the opportunity every day to make something more important than God. We can turn to money, possessions, other people, and just about anything you can think of, but we have chosen to make God the center of our lives.

So many times I have found myself prioritizing something above God. When I catch myself, I am so ashamed, and I wish I could run and hide. Yet, I know that I must turn to God for forgiveness. It is very hard for me to admit my mistakes to anyone, even God. It is so easy in the world today to find something that consumes all of my attention. If I flip on the television, I see a million things that I “NEED” to have. I think commercials come straight from the Devil! They try to make us want something that will take away our focus from God.

When I was eight, I finally figured out why I didn’t feel complete. I was trying to find something to fill this empty place inside me, but I didn’t know what. My parents helped me find that I wanted to become a Christian. They took me on long walks around the neighborhood teaching me about God’s love and Christ’s ultimate sacrifice. I made the decision to be baptized, and my dad did the honors in our bathtub on May 18th, 2002. I had turned to many different things trying to find that one that would complete me forever. I looked to my not-always-good friends for affirmation of who I was, turned to buying stuff when I felt like I didn’t have enough (when I really had way more than I needed), and many other things trying to figure out what it was that would fill me up. I may have only been in 3rd Grade, but it is amazing what you can feel at that age. I finally found that it was my soul that was not complete. When I went under that water in the bathtub and came back up, I was complete. I had found the one in the ninety-nine that would confirm my identity forever. I found that my identity is in Christ, not in the world.

Even now, after I have been a Christian for six and a half years, I still turn to the world on occasion. I look back at the ninety-nine and wonder if they are really any better than what I have right now. Sometimes, I even go as far as to test it out and see what they are like. Fortunately, I am able to recognize my mistakes and go running back to bow at the feet of Christ.

The song I heard on Sunday voiced what I often feel, but could never explain before. I realize that I do want to leave those that are of the world, and join the ONE and ONLY ONE who will fulfill my life forever. I encourage all of you to make this leap, and make the goal of your life to find the One who was, is, and will forever be there for you.

Hebrews 13:8 “Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever.”