Tuesday, January 23rd 2024
As I was seeking the Lord about what to write for a blog today, I felt He wanted me to ask my children if they had any topics. One of them responded, “Tell people to remember that toys don’t make us happy, only God does. Besides, we won’t have our toys in heaven.” It’s no wonder God tells us to be like little children. They just have such simple faith and an unadulterated view of who God is. One thing we talk about a lot at our church is that there is no Jr. Holy Spirit. The same Holy Spirit that speaks to us adults also speaks to our children. And if I am being honest, our children probably listen better than we do as they have way less distractions. Another area where we can improve at being like little children.
Let me provide a little back story to my child’s comment. We recently decided that we would let them spend some of their allowance and birthday money on toys of their choosing. So, we took the opportunity to talk about desires, but also about handling them righteously. In our house, we really enjoy Legos, so they all came up with the sets they wanted to purchase. There is something about taking a pile of tiny bits and pieces and crafting them into something recognizable and functional. As I am writing this, I can’t help but think this is the same exact joy that God gets when He takes our pile of pieces and makes a one-of-a-kind masterpiece.
As I was pondering my child’s comment, I kept hearing the word “treasure” and I know there are a few scriptures on this topic so let’s look at them briefly. One of them is Matthew 6:21:
21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
If our toys, cars, houses, bank accounts, careers or [enter your own treasure box] are the things that make us feel worthy or loved then we will put all of our time and energy into ensuring these treasure boxes do not run empty. These things will become the place where our hearts (mind, will, passions and emotions) dwell. If, on the other hand, God is our treasure, everything we do and everything we think and say will reflect the richness of His Kingdom.
Let’s look at Matthew 13:44:
44 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
As I have matured in my walk with the Lord, I can now understand how the kingdom of heaven can be called a treasure. I have experienced things in my Bible reading, worshiping and praying that I have never experienced anywhere else. Holy Spirit’s presence is incomparable. The price of what Jesus did on the cross for me is incalculable. God as my Heavenly Father is irreplaceable. None of these things could ever be valued from our limited human understanding. It’s our spirit that knows just how important the trinity is to every part of our being.
The last verse I want to look at is 2 Corinthians 4:7:
7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.
Because of what Jesus did on the cross, we can have Holy Spirit dwelling in us. The treasure that He is takes up residence in our heart. This treasure is greater than anything we could purchase or earn on this earth.
Final Thoughts…
The scriptures we digest, the times we pour out our hearts in worship, the times we sit silently and charge up our spirits, all of these are building up treasures within us. It’s this treasure that is a light for others so that they too can find the treasure that is the kingdom of heaven. Take some time today and ask God to show you if there is anything that you are looking to for happiness besides Him. What if all we had now was God? Would that be enough? It should be.