The amazing miraculous magnificent power of one.

Two recent references to the idea of "one" spurred my reflection on the significance of that number.

While guests at a Valentine dinner show on Saturday, my wife and I heard a reference to Bob Marley's tune, One Love."

"One love, one heart, let's get together and feel all right."

In attendance at Living Word Open Bible Church on Sunday for a renewal of wedding vows, the pastor recounted to us six truths relative to marriage during his sermon.

Truth #5 is, he said, "The central purpose of marriage is not to make you happy but to make you one."

Therein lies the essence and great mystery of life.

The matter of one.

The principle of one.

The goal of one.

The dream of one.

The majesty of one.

It is intrinsic in our D.N.A, this business of one. Indeed, the sole intent of a business is one aim -- to make a profit.

A football team has one prize in mind -- the Superbowl.

A baseball team longs for one World Series title.

Everything we do seems geared to achieve one end. Even though our faces differ we originate from one and the same source. Inscribed on America's currency, "E Pluribus Unum." Jamaica's National Motto declares,"Out of many, one people."

Our sole yearning for good or evil is to create oneness in the world.

Hence our desire for:

one church,

one body,

one faith,

one baptism,

one God,

one law,

one way to heaven,

one government,

one family.

Think for a moment about anything noteworthy, effective, beneficial or eternal in the world. They were all accomplished by one man or woman who dared to step out from the crowd and make a difference. From Moses to Martin Luther, from Joshua to Jackie Robinson, one solitary courageous individual who shouted enough is enough, got up, stood up, stuck his neck out and acted upon his or her conviction.

We quickly realize that, for better or worse, we can never fulfill our destiny until we enter into agreement and become one, either with God or with ourselves.

"Behold, how good and pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity. It is like the precious ointment upon the head," declared the psalmist.

God himself acknowledged the power of unity in the book of Genesis, "Behold the people are one, and they all have one language, and now nothing will be restrained from them."

Success and achievement will always result from a single focus. Disappointment, despair, confusion and failure will always be the consequence of division and multiple approaches. We have one life for one time. We travel one way, with one destination in mind. Upon our arrival there, there is only one entry door.

Jesus says, "I am the way,the truth and the life" and "Father, I pray that they all be one as thou Father art one in me and I in thee, that they also may be one in us."

Due to circumstances and conditions beyond your control, you may find yourself alone. You may be tempted to bemoan and decry that fact or state. You may be inclined to complain about your lack of ability or talent to perform a noble deed. Or your inaction may be caused by your exhausting search for Mr. or Ms. Right.

To you I would say, if you can't find the one you love, love the one you are with, which is you and you alone. Life does not wait until one gets it all together.

I would like to remind you:

When God decided to establish a people to become the apple of his eye, he started with Abraham, an idol-worshiping infidel.

When he needed someone to stave off starvation and preserve his children, he chose an innocent, unsophisticated lad called Joseph.

When the cry for freedom reached the halls of heaven, one time He chose an ex-murderer, shepherd and fugitive named Moses, the other time He selected a tall, lanky and ungainly rail splitter from Illinois, Abraham Lincoln.

When faced with extermination of the Jews, He called upon an apprehensive orphan girl, Esther, to become the instrument of prevention. To spread his gospel of peace and love, he nominated for the task a bloodthirsty Pharisee named Saul.

And when mankind needed a Savior, He sacrificed his only begotten Son on a cruel cross.

What can one person do? Read again what the scripture says.

"Therefore as by the offence of one, judgement came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one, the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteousness." - Romans 5:18-19

Therein lies the power, influence and effect of one.

For such a time as this, who knows if you are not the one?

V. Knowles is a husband and father with an interest in penning issues that serve to uplift mankind. He melds his love for Classic literature, The Bible and pop culture - as sordid as it may be - into highly relatable columns of truth, faith and justice. Hence the name: Just Thinking. If he's not buried in a book or penning his next column, you may find him pinned to his sectional watching a good old Country and Western flick.