Just One Thing - Greg Laurie Devotion - August 7, 2026
Friday, August 7, 2026
Just One Thing
“The one thing I ask of the Lord—the thing I seek most—is to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, delighting in the Lord’s perfections and meditating in his Temple.” (Psalm 27:4 nlt)
It’s been said that the greatest danger in life is to permit the urgent things to crowd out the important things. You see, the rabbit holes in life can cause us to lose sight of the one thing that matters: Jesus Christ.
It’s interesting to follow the phrase one thing through the pages of Scripture. Each time a biblical author uses this phrase, we find insights into the importance of making time for the Lord. For example, remember when Martha became agitated at her sister, Mary, for sitting at Jesus’ feet while Martha did all the work? How did Jesus reply? He said, “My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:41-42 nlt, emphasis mine). Jesus was essentially saying, “Listen, Martha, I appreciate your desire to work. But there is a time to work and there is a time to sit at My feet. Mary has figured out that one thing is needful.”
Are Martha’s actions a good description of your life right now? Are you so busy with work and life’s nonessentials that you’ve forgotten the one thing? Unless we have a sense of priority, we can find ourselves distracted and quickly forget our purpose: to dwell with the Lord.
We must make the time to sit at the Lord’s feet. If we don’t make time for God’s Word, prayer, and church in our daily lives, we will fall apart spiritually. One thing is needful; pray for the strength and diligence to make time for it.
David had a real insight into who God is and set his heart to follow Him. In Psalm 57:7, he wrote, “My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is steadfast and confident!” (ampc). David’s heart was totally focused on who God was. He was locked into what was right.
Paul made a similar statement in the book of Philippians: “I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us” (3:13-14 nlt).
Everybody is living for something. The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing—that is, to live by a clear set of priorities. What’s the one thing for you? What’s your clear focus in life?
God may not give you everything you hope for in life. Then again, He may give you more. You just leave that up to Him and put Him first.
Reflection question: How can you prioritize the things of God in your life?
Copyright © 2026 by Harvest Ministries. All rights reserved.
Photo Credit: ©Unsplash/Iyan Kurnia
Greg Laurie is the pastor and founder of the Harvest churches in California and Hawaii and of Harvest Crusades. He is an evangelist, best-selling author, and movie producer. His latest film ‘Jesus Revolution,’ from Lionsgate and Kingdom Story Company, is now available on-demand worldwide.
For more relevant and biblical teaching from Pastor Greg Laurie, go to www.harvest.org
and
Listen to Greg Laurie's daily broadcast on OnePlace.com and weekly podcast on LifeAudio.com.
Watch Greg Laurie's weekly television broadcast on LightSource.com.
Some Christians think Bible reading, prayer, fellowship, and sharing their faith are things they eventually move beyond. The truth is just the opposite. In What Every Growing Christian Needs to Know, Pastor Greg Laurie explores the foundational practices that help believers grow spiritually and stay strong in their faith. Whether you're a new believer or have followed Christ for decades, this practical guide will help you focus on the things that matter most. Request your copy this month with your gift to Harvest Ministries.
