Only One Wish

T

he wisdom of older adults never ceases to amaze me.  They can take any situation, any set of circumstances, any of life's challenges and find wonderful and profound life applications.  As I grow older myself, the things my parents and my grandparents told me and the life lessons they tried to teach me at a young age continually affect the way I perceive and understand this thing called life.

A story I heard as a young teacher illustrates this point very well.  A young man and his grandfather went fishing in order to spend some quality time together.  As they continued to cast their lines and reel them in, the young man took the opportunity to ask his grandfather several questions about life.  Inevitably, the young man wanted to know how he could get ahead in life and what it would take to be successful.

The older gentleman dropped his rod and reel and invited his grandson into the water with him.  The young man didn't hesitate but was understandably curious as he entered the water.  What could the old man possibly teach him in the middle of the pond?  As he came near to his grandfather, the older gentleman grabbed his grandson and plunged him under the water.  He held him there, not allowing him to rise to the surface.  The young man didn't struggle at first but as his need for air grew, he began to fight.  Finally, with no regard for his grandfather's safety, the young man wrestled his way to the surface for air.  When he had regained his composure he asked his grandfather why he had held him under the water and refused to let him breathe.  The old man simply smiled at his grandson and asked him what his only thought was while he was under the water.  The young man said that all he could think of and all he wanted was air.  His grandfather told him he would succeed in life when the desire for excellence was as important to him as the desire for air had been while he was under the water.

This is a wonderful lesson and very true.  Focus is the most important thing in any goal.  Without it, failure is assured.  The same is true for us in the Christian life. Our focus must be on Jesus Christ.  He must be our ultimate goal, our ultimate reason for living, and the ultimate desire of our hearts.  In all ways and at all times we must seek to be like him, to follow his example, and to obey his command. 

In John 12:21, a group of Greek men came to Jesus' disciples with a simple, focused request.  John records their words for us, “Sir, we would see Jesus."  In this small statement lies the secret of success for the Christian.  These men had only one wish, only one desire, only one purpose, and only one thought.  With all their hearts and minds they wanted to see Jesus.

Is that the desire of your heart today?  Do you long to see Jesus?  Are you willing to wait patiently and to search diligently until you find him?  Today we will become hungry and we will search for food.  We will grow thirsty and we will search for something to drink.  We will grow tired and we will search for rest.  At our jobs we will seek approval from our bosses, we will seek acceptance from our co-workers, and we will focus on our jobs.  But what about Jesus?  Will we focus on him today?  Can we say with all our hearts that we would see him?  When we desire him as badly as we desire food, water, and air we will find that our walk with God will become more intimate and more meaningful.  When Jesus becomes the sole purpose of our being then, and only then, will we succeed in being what God wants us to be.  What is your one wish today?