Touré Roberts - The One Thing

I used to hear the passage from Psalm 27:4: «The one thing that I desire, that will I seek after.» I would simply recite it, but then in 2001, something changed within me. It was no longer just words I said. I want to be honest; I used to see people worshiping and expressing their love for God, saying, «I love You so much,» and would cry. I couldn’t relate, and I won’t lie. Does anyone know what I’m talking about? They would worship with their arms lifted and eyes closed, having a real connection with God, which I desperately wanted. If I were honest, I didn’t have it, so I faked it, going through the motions by closing my eyes. I was saved, and I loved Jesus, but there was another level I longed for. I can’t pinpoint exactly when it happened; it was just a sudden realization. I believe with all my heart, as I stand here as Té Roberts, that God works in «suddenlies,» and it’s an inside job—it’s in your heart. This transformation is going to change everything. You may have thought your problems were external, but the Bible says, «Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.» I know the year and month it occurred—December 2001. I was not in a service; I don’t think I was anywhere specific, but suddenly it clicked that the very best life has to offer is found in one place, and that’s a revelation of the heart. It changed everything for me; I guess it could be said that I really sold out then. I walked away from Corporate America—it sounds ridiculous, but I left everything behind. Perhaps that’s what it was like when Jesus walked the Earth, asking people to follow Him, and they dropped everything to do so. Initially, it seems crazy, but it became clear to me, and that became the measuring stick by which I gauge my relationship with God. The one thing I desire is You. In other words, God, all of my spiritual stock, all of my mental stock, emotional stock, everything—my entire life—is invested in You. It doesn’t mean I don’t love my family because I do, but this is different. We are not going to die together; we are not going to see Jesus together. Our relationship with God isn’t solely about this; it’s about the connection and the depth of our devotion. I’m realizing that while we can position ourselves to receive, only God can bring you to that revelation. That’s when everything started for me; I found the key. God needs to know that He truly has you, that you will walk away from whatever you need to forsake—people, things, careers, circumstances—putting nothing before Him. That’s when this walk begins. That’s why the Bible teaches, «Blessed are those who mourn for they shall be comforted.» What does that mean? You only mourn that which dies. In this life, you must let certain things die in order to truly live in Him. You must be willing to mourn the loss of things not tethered to your destiny. Sometimes we try to drag people, situations, even entire regions into our destiny, and God says, «No, I seek a servant who can declare, ‘The one thing I desire.’» I have narrowed my pursuit in life from many things to one thing, and that is Him. See, this is the kind of hard truth that Jesus shared that made some of His disciples leave sad. The Rich Young Ruler was one of them. He asked Jesus what he must do to inherit eternal life, and Jesus responded with a list of commandments. The young man exclaimed, «Oh hallelujah, thank You, Jesus! I keep all these!» But then Jesus said, «One thing you lack: sell everything you possess, give it to the poor, and follow Me.» The Rich Young Ruler went away sad because he wouldn’t make God his one thing. You are never sad when you make the right decision—he knew he was making the wrong choice because his wealth held him back. Here’s the catch: later, Jesus explained to Peter, who had left his fishing business to follow Him, that no one who had forsaken houses, family, and all similar sacrifices would fail to receive a hundredfold in this life, plus eternal life afterward. God was trying to multiply the Rich Young Ruler, but he wouldn’t commit to making God his one thing. That’s what is happening here right now. We can impart this truth; I met Sarah, and God told me not to date. I thought, «No, God, it’s just You and me—we’re meant to be.»