Treasures in Heaven
Posted in Daily Focus on Wednesday, December 4, 2013
"For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also" (Luke 12:34).
My 12-year-old son's favorite pastime after our homeschooling day was looking for hidden items in the ground with his metal detector. Searching for money, old bullet shells, jewelry, and other items consumed hours of his time. At first, I loved seeing his excited face as he came running into the house with each latest treasure. Soon, however, I noticed a change in his attitude. Like a gambler placing his next bet, he seemed to be driven to find the next treasure that might be worth hundreds of dollars. Greed had taken over, and we needed to bring his hobby under Christ's lordship.
As Christians, we spend hours looking for purpose and meaning in the treasures of this world, too. Sadly, these treasures begin to lose their value, and we start to look for bigger and better cars, homes, cameras, clothes, and pleasurable items. Like the foolish man in Luke 12:16-21 whose life was cut short, we may find someone else enjoying the very treasures we were storing for ourselves. "But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided" (Luke 12:20)?
What about you? Is your treasure in heaven, or are you building bigger barns for more treasures on Earth? Heed God's warning today and think about making yourself rich toward God instead of pleasing yourself. "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal" (Matthew 6:19-20).
Father, every day I feel bombarded by the temptation to want more. Help me to concentrate on the things on Earth that are truly important and search the Scriptures for the treasures of Your promises. In the name of Your Son, Jesus, Amen.
Comments(12 comments)
KAREN L 12/05/2008 01:15:15
I can relate with this article. I would love to have a house that I own and not live a trailer but I am happy where I am. I want to give my whole life to Jesus Christ and let him bless me with those things when he feels that I am ready for it. My husband on the other hand is trying to find his happiness in the material things of this world instead of Jesus. I need some prayers going out for us. Thank you and may God bless you and your family.
ELISHA H 12/04/2009 02:13:27
Karen, I pray that in the past year you have seen Christ's maniested change in your husband and if not I pray that, Christ bring forth His promise in your husband speedily. I pray that the same Spirit that raised Christ Jesus from the dead quicken your husbands mortal body and that your husband, Karen become alive to the will of Crist. As he does become alive and responsive to Christ Jesus, I pray that you and your children see and believe the change and be willing and obedient to walk in submission to your husband as he walks in submission to Christ by the leading of the Holy Spirit. In Jesus' Name! So be it!!!
JULIA S 12/04/2009 05:10:34
What great timing for this devotional as we enter the Christmas Holiday! How much stuff do we really need anyway? Paul said, Let us be content with what we have...........Let's focus on our families, those in need and our blessings! God bless!
SARAH C 12/05/2009 19:40:16
I agree with this article so much. It is so easy for me to get caught up in the holiday shopping and wanting this or that, that I forget to really focus on the true reason for the season -Jesus! I also have 2 daughters now and its so easy to find a list of toys etc that I want to buy for them too, but I constantly have to remind myself that I need to be an example for them and to be content with what we have. I have said over and over that I don't want our children to receive a ton of toys they won't play with more than a few days after Christmas and yet i catch myself doing the thing I said I didn't want to. I am learning so much as a parent.
KYM S 12/04/2010 07:08:56
Wow! Great stuff!
I have come across this passage in several very different places recently. Always a clear sign God is speaking.
Really making me evaluate my "wants" and "needs" carefully.
Praying that with God's leading we will all become better stewards of his blessings.
Peace all!
Karen L, definitely praying for your hubby's hearts and your whole family too. I am sure the Lord will bless your home and your heart.
KIMBERLEY B 12/04/2011 08:05:51
I am in the same boat as Karen with my husband, we are new to Christ and I find myself very content with what I have, yet my husband seeks worldly treasures and each time he tries to fill the void, it only seems to grow bigger. Saddens me to see this, but I pray that in God's time, not mine, he will be able to fill that empty space with the lust of Christ, not material things. Peace be with each of you !
TAMI D 12/04/2011 15:22:20
I happen to live in a nice house, but would trade it for a shack , if I could have my son back. He died this past summer, and I miss him so much. Material items are so unimportant........
BRENNA H 12/04/2011 17:22:55
I read this with tears in my eyes. I am so blessed with a great husband and loving children, but satan still makes me long for more. I see others having some of the things I think I want, but God knows I do not need. I pray to be happy for them. I really am in my God heart, but my human heart sometimes gets in the way. I look toward the Light of God and know I am richer than I could ever be. My farm is in heaven along with my magazine clean house. Ha Ha. Thank you that God uses you to bring me back to reality. I just so love God even when I am pouting. Peace and prayers, Brenna Tami I am so sorry for your loss. I just saw your post after I wrote mine. Boy, do I feel small. I also would live in a shack if in your shoes. May God peace and love so pour on you in the season. I will pray for you.
CARLA E 12/05/2011 17:06:23
It seems that this is the message for this season. I am trying to get the whole family to understand that it is what you GIVE on Christmas to someone else in need that is important, not what you GET.
Jesus is more than enough and I want to make sure my family knows it this year. May the Lord provide his peace for all of you this season.
ANDREA J 12/04/2012 05:35:38
Wow , this reading and everything that was shared from you ladies really is a blessing to me. Karen , I will definitely pray for your husband and may God bless you and your family. Tami your story really touch my heart. I will be praying for God to comfort you. ( your name is special to me because my 7 year old name is Tami and she gets upset sometimes because everyone spells her name Tammy. She says, \'mommy are you sure my name is spelt Tami \' so I will let her know I found someone whose name is spelt the same way as hers.)
Be blessed.
Andrea J
KATHY S 12/04/2012 06:47:26
Dear Tami,
My heart goes out to you, I am in tears after reading your post. I tell my son all the time that I can replace whatever he broke, so never to worry about an accident, but there is no one who could replace him. I cannot even imagine how you feel.
May God be with you and comfort you. I am so sorry.
In Christ,
Kathy
ALISON D 12/04/2012 07:23:00
I really connect with this lesson. I have been challenged this year by God to not get caught up in valuing the \"things\" and \"traditions\" of the Christmas season too much. I don\'t like shopping much. I only get a little excited over decorations, baking and activities. But still as this Christmas season began I saw myself getting excited for things of this world and felt a check in my spirit. Christmas isn\'t about Christmas, the holiday, it\'s about Christ. While celebrating his birth is important as He became Emmanuel, the promise of forgiveness, new life and fellowship with the Lord which Jesus has brought us is the same no matter what time of year. So we should rejoice no matter what time of year. I\'m not against Christmas holiday but I want my whole life to be centered on Christ and equally rejoicing in Him all year long!! Cookies are fun, decorations are nice, carols can be lovely, seeing family and having parties can be fun, I love the winter season but they are all things of this world and not where our treasure lies. God showed me the verse about not being able to love God if we love the world when He spoke this to me this year.