My Greatest Treasure, I have been thinking about what my greatest treasure is much this past year and the answer continually returns to my Lord. As the days pass with trials rolling in one after the next I am coming to find that everything this world has to offer pales in comparison to knowing Him. As Psalm 119:92 says “If Your law had not been my delight, Then I would have perished in my affliction.” This I know to be true.
How? Because, life. I don’t need to explain to any of you the pain and sorrow life brings. For some the pain and sorrow comes and goes and others it is piercing, relentless, feeling as if everything is crashing in wave after wave. We cry out in desperation “will it ever end?” The answer is yes.
My sister said it best as she reflected upon the death of her youngest son: “I’ve asked all the questions of ‘why’. Why this, why us, why does God allow such sorrow in this world? Not sure if my why will be answered and sorrow might be a mystery but I know that God is still God and He is still good and working even in the death of our son for our good and so I will trust Him. I do miss my baby and it’s sad to not wrap him presents, hang a stocking, hold him or see his smiling face but this sadness makes the birth of Jesus that much more precious this season. The birth of Jesus was God doing something about pain and sorrow. Jesus birth, death, and resurrection were so there will be no more sorrow or pain someday and this fallen world will be redeemed.”
She’s right. The pain and sorrow your in now has already been tenderly cared for by the lovingkindness of God in sending His One and Only Son, Jesus, to die for our sins. Pain and sorrow exist because of sin, but Jesus came to redeem us, to save us from our sins and one day for those that have repented of their sins and proclaimed Jesus as their Lord and Savior pain and sorrow will vanquish. As Revelation 21:4 says “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain. The first things passed away.”
This is not just the hope, but reality of what will be for those whose Greatest Treasure is Christ. Ok, so this post actually started earlier this week and has slowly been evolving. So let me take you back to when I first started writing this post this past Tuesday.
I was driving home this evening reflecting much on the goodness of my God. Today was a day that boosted my spirits, why? Because I was reminded of the lovingkindness of my Lord. It is amazing how quickly I forget. Really how foolish I am.
The day started dreary and ended dreary outwardly speaking as the rain fell from the sky, but inwardly my mind started dreary and ended bright because I was drawn back to my Greatest Treasure, that is Christ.
How did this all come about? It started this past weekend, lets just say I was out of sorts. Friday morning I called into work to call off work as my voice had seem to have left me. No doubt a bronchial cold was brewing, and that it was. My weekend plans disappeared and rest was in order. I was quickly reminded of the daily gifts I rarely thank my Lord for such as just being able to talk and breathe. Noted, I am thanking Him now.
Come this morning it was time to head back to work, but really my soul just felt dreary about it. Why, I could give you many excuses but at the end of the day it’s that I am selfish. And seriously, after today the Lord reminded me of the great gift my work is. I am now asking myself how could have I possibly dreaded the thought of going in today? From my first patient to my last and the smiling faces in between from colleagues and strangers God showed me His lovingkindness.
Conversation after conversation I was reminded of true joy, true hope, true love. They are all found in Christ. A treasure few will find, will you?
Robert Murray M’Cheyne said “Set NOT your hearts on the flowers of this world. They shall fade and die. Prize the Rose of Sharon and the Lily of the Valley. He changes not! Live nearer to Christ than to any person on this earth; so that when they are taken, you may have Him to love and lean upon.”
When they are taken - family, friends, money, exercise, social media, you fill in the blank. What treasures do you seek daily to fill the void? What do you seek after to distract you from the pain and sorrows of the day? How full do they leave you? How long do they sustain you? What person(s) or item(s) hold your life? What sin’s enslave you? Pornography, alcohol, lust, money, work, anger etc.? What is your greatest treasure?
There is only One Treasure that brings life. All others only lead to death. They temporarily satisfy one but ultimately enslave you to a world of misery.
Proverbs 3:13-18 says, “How blessed is the man who finds wisdom And the man who obtains discernment. For her profit is better than the profit of silver And her produce better than fine gold. She is more precious than pearls; And nothing you desire compares with her. Length of days is in her right hand; In her left hand are riches and glory. Her ways are pleasant ways And all her pathways are peace. She is a tree of life to those who seize her, And all those who hold her fast are blessed.”
So what is wisdom? Wisdom is Christ and wisdom is In Christ alone. To find wisdom is to find Christ and to find Christ is to find Wisdom. Jeremiah 9:23-24 says “Thus says Yahweh, ‘Let not a wise man boast in his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast in his might; let not a rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am Yahweh who shows lovingkindness, justice, and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things,’ declares Yahweh.”
My friends and family, you either fear man and treasure the things of this world or you fear God and treasure Him alone. Without fear of the Lord, no true wisdom exists in an individual’s life. Worldly treasures such as love of money, working out, lust, power, and social media will only ever temporarily satisfy you and will always lead to death.
Christ is the only treasure worth treasuring. To know Him is to have all you need (Psalm 23). If you want freedom you chase Him. That means make Him your Greatest Treasure. You want to know what your greatest treasure is just look where your time and money go. “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” (Luke 12:34, Matt. 6:21)
There is only one Rock. There is only One Redeemer. There is only one highest good and unending need. There is only one True delight and that is Christ. All other boasts are nothing. Your social following won’t save you. Your bank account won’t save you. Your fame won’t save you. Christ alone saves you from your sins and pain and sorrows of this world. Grow in your love and understanding of the Lord and all else will fade.
So what will you treasure this day? Tomorrow? Another drink? What will it gain you? Another gym routine? What will it gain you? Another lust? What will it gain you? Another sports game? What will it gain you?
Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and will then repay each one according to his deeds” (Matt. 16:24-27).
I pray this day you come to know the Great Treasure Christ is. As Jeremiah 9:24 says “let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows Me.” Treasure Christ! Treasure His Word. “The Bible will keep you from sin, or sin will keep you from the Bible” (Dwight L. Moody). It is Jesus Christ that has the answer to freedom and fullness of life. He has the answer to your pain and sorrows. He alone saves and is the sustainer of life through all the trials.
So, I ask again, what will you treasure today? Tomorrow? You decide - death or life. The answer is obvious but few will find Him. Woe to you if you hear only and do not do also (James 1:22-25). May this be a warning to you. You cannot say you treasure Christ all the while pursuing the filthiness of the world. No, “lay aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in gentleness receive the implanted word, which is able to save your souls” (James 1:21). Yes, receive the Word and come to know Jesus Christ as your Greatest Treasure! This is my prayer for you.
For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6).
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