Meet The New Youنموونە

Treasures

There was a little tap on the bedroom door followed by a whisper from our not-so-little son. He was having a bad dream about our house burning down, thanks to being spooked by a fire drill that happened at school earlier that day.

As I pulled him into my arms, we talked through his fears and made an action plan for what to do if something really happened. And then we prayed, turning our hearts toward an eternal perspective, as we remembered the promise of heaven and the fact that the people in our lives are more important than anything else. His spirit was quieted as he went off to bed, but mine was now restless.

I realized afresh that some of our material items are indeed treasures to me. I would be so sad to lose my house full of photos and boxes of journals. I’d be crushed if something happened to my computer—a storehouse of written memories and all sorts of graphics that I could never reproduce.

Yes, there are things I treasure here on earth, most of which reflect precious experiences, fond memories with loved ones, and priceless God lessons recording in my journals. And yet, those treasures have the potential of stealing my heart even though they pale into comparison to the inheritance God has in store for me and the promises of heaven.

So let me ask you a question I’m asking myself: Are we more consumed by earthly treasures than the One who gave them to us?

We may have to loosen our grip on our earthly treasures, as precious as they seem, to make room for more for the God of treasures to rule in our lives.

Trap and Transform

1. What are some of your earthly treasures?

2. How much time do those treasures consume each day or week?

3. Where does God fall in your ranking of treasures?