Last Friday, before I left for the day at my working place, my wife called and told me that she forgot to bring in soy source and spice for tonight’s celebration of Chinese New Year at our church. I wrote them down and then rushed back to home to pick them up. After that, I went to pick up two young guests on my way to the celebration.  While traveling, I was still thinking whether I forgot something or not.  Suddenly, I remembered one thing that I lack: I need to bring in the non-slip liners for the hotpot stoves in order to prevent the stoves from gliding on the table. “Too bad, it is already too late. I need to figure out an alternative”, I told myself.

The likelihood of running such kind of “oops!” experience oftentimes is high, especially when we are in a rush. Its consequence sometimes may just cost us some nuisances or inconveniences; but on the other times, it could cause serious issues. Imagine that you are going to meet a person you love but forgot to bring something important. As a result, your plan was ground to a halt. How do you feel? One of such “oops!” news recently is the famous singer Taylor Swift’s boyfriend, who was rushing to see her after a long drive to airport, only to find that he forgot to bring his passport and therefore their romantic meeting was halted.

My friends, one way or another, you may encounter the same “oops!” surprise in your daily living. Have you ever thought about that when each one of us needs to stand in front of God to receive His judgment at the end of this worldly life, what will He say?”  The phrase “There is one thing you lack” comes into my mind. I agree that no one will ever be able to reach God’s standard. The question is “What is the one thing that you lack but is deemed to be the most important from God’s view?”

In the Gospel of Mark chapter 10, when the rich young ruler inquired Jesus about how he may “inherit” eternal life, Jesus told him that there is one thing he lacks. Jesus said, “Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me. 你還缺少一件 ：去變賣你所有的，分給窮人，就必有財寶在天上 ； 你還要來跟從我 。(Mark 10:21b) ”.  The point Jesus wants to teach us is we cannot rely on our own works, talent or wealth to receive the eternal life, the only one thing that is important is to believe that He is the son of God and only through Him we can be saved.

My dear brothers and sisters, we may constantly feel that we are lacking one thing in our life; either one pair of shoes or one piece of dress in our closet, or one tool in our garage, etc, but we need to remember king David’s experience, “The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing (Psalm 23:1)”.  It is a very important insight that we should not overlook. Let’s be reminded from Jesus had reminded Martha, “few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her. 但是不可少的只有一件；馬利亞已經選擇那上好的福分，是不能奪去的”. Hope we all will be able to receive what is better in God’s eye (Luke 10:42).