A Holy Invitation to the One Thing

"There is only one thing worth being concerned about.

Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.” 

Luke 10:42 NLT

I find myself often wondering why do Christians have struggles.  Why do we have heartache and deep longings that have gone unmet?  Why do we stress and worry? Why Lord, do you permit these things? And while I still do not have the perfect answer to fit every story I do know this:

Every obstacle in life, every adverse circumstance, every trial, every troubled relationship,

every unmet longing is an opportunity, no rather an invitation
to press beyond the veil until you find yourself at our Savior's feet. 

It is an invitation to commune with Peace as He sits on His throne.  It is an invitation to dine with the Bread of Life.  It is an opportunity to press in beyond the crowds, as the woman with the issue of blood did, to push past the distractions, to reach toward our healer.  If she never would have had the issue, if she had never felt utter desperation, she also would never have experienced Life beyond the circumstances, beyond the veil, and into the Holy of Holies. 

Oh how often we miss this invitation to feast on The One who sustains.  We choose stress, worry, grow tired and weary.  We replay arguments in our minds.  We retreat and self medicate.  We grow angry and bitter.  We parade through life with wounded hearts, yet we wear a fake smile all the while hoping that no one sees the arrows of discontentment, loneliness, sorrow, and defeat that have pierced our heart.  We hope that no one sees the heaviness and stress in our eyes.  We gripe.  We complain.  And all the while our invitation, unopened, waits for us.  It reads ""Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."  Our worry, our complaints, our busyness ring a loud response~ "No thank you, I have too much work and cannot come and sit," "No thank you, I would much rather eat this bitter fruit than to dine on The Bread."  Then we curse the adverse circumstance; we curse the invitation. 

Like Paul, of this I am the chief of sinners, but today, through God's grace I choose to thank instead of curse.  I thank Him for this cross that I carry.  It is a doorway into His sanctuary.  It is an invitation to come to the banquet and dine with The One who loves me unconditionally.  Our crosses are heavy. Our crosses are hard to carry. The nails hurt.  But today my response will be, "Yes, I will come.  Thank you for this invitation to the One Thing."  He beckons me to come, to fall on my knees at His feet, as we sit beyond the veil.