You know David was a busy guy. I’m guessing that being king had a certain set of demands . . . a pretty full schedule. But you also know that David lived life within one grand context . . . one overriding desire that lined up everything else against it. Call it his life’s “mission statement” . . . call it his internal motivation . . . call it whatever you want . . . but at the end of the day, according to Psalm 27, David wanted just one thing . . .

One thing have I asked for of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to inquire in His temple.   (Psalm 27:4 ESV)

If you think about it, “one thing people” have a certain simplicity surrounding their lives . . . not ease, necessarily, but a simplicity. The basis for decision making comes back to one thing . . . priority setting is made simpler as the number one spot is already taken . . . what constitutes a “win” in their lives is determined by one thing. And David’s one thing was was to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD.

At first, I read this and I immediately went to the post-earth scenario . . . to that time and place when, before the throne of God, we are face to face with the King of glory . . . in glory. But I read it again . . . and again . . . and what David’s asking for, the one thing he is seeking after, is that he would know these intimate encounters “all the days of my life.” That the gazing would be a reality now . . . that the beauty would be seen now.

So David begins each day with a “one thing” passion . . . to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD. If that were my one great desire, where might I look?

Certainly, I behold His beauty in His word. This morning I saw that beauty in the spotless Passover Lamb whose shed blood, when applied to the doorframe, wrought salvation from the angel of death (Exodus 12). I beheld the beauty of God’s prophesied Servant as I read Matthew quoting Isaiah concerning the Servant of God’s choosing . . . “my Beloved with whom my soul is well pleased . . . a bruised reed He will not break, and a smoldering wick He will not quench . . . and in His name the Gentiles will hope” (Matt. 12:18-21). And in my Acts reading, there is the beauty, once again . . . as Paul “reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and proving it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead” (Acts. 17:2-3). Open the Word . . . and gaze upon His beauty.

But that should just prime pump. Would I dare ask, that as the day progresses, my life would be a focused gaze ready to behold His beauty. That I might see it in His creation as I drive to work . . . be reminded of it in His provision as I earn a living today . . . be reminded of it when I return home and remember afresh the realities of His favor and grace. And, I guess mine is not to figure out all the places to see Him . . . but my one thing is to desire to gaze upon His beauty . . . and know that the Spirit, who delights to reveal the Son, will open my eyes to see His glory.

One thing, oh LORD . . . that I may gaze upon Your beauty . . .

Vicky Beeching’s song (click here) nails it . . .