What first comes to mind when you hear the word treasure?
Don’t think too hard . . . in fact . . . I say treasure; you say ___________. Honestly, my first thought was Treasure Planet, a movie my son Jon chose for us to watch recently. Next, I thought of the Disneyland ride “Pirates of the Caribbean,” a lavishly decorated scene in which pirates are smothered in sparkling gems and jewels on a white sandy beach.
After a few moments passed, my thoughts turned to memories of my family that I will always treasure in my heart. Then I recalled a passage of Scripture in which Christ taught, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21).
The “Normal”
Life presents us with connections similar to the one Jesus made between our treasures and our hearts, such as, “When life is ___________, I am/do ___________.” We get along and go along without much conflict until . . . until God allows circumstances that don’t fit with our finely tuned, treasured ways of living, thinking, and behaving. The ol’ “normal” falls apart and fails to fit the new normal. We become overwhelmed, confused, lost, and angry because our values, beliefs, and meaningful plans fade into a distant, disappearing fog.
When life ceases to cooperate with our treasured hopes and dreams, battles rage within us, and things get messy.
When my son was born 16 years ago, the dreams I had treasured fell apart. I spent years trying to fix or formulate a path back to the way it was. Fundamentally, my struggle was about me releasing my treasured plans. Letting go of deeply rooted hopes is always an experience of grief and loss, leaving raw and vacant places which are tremendously difficult to wade through.
Why? Because we have this broken nature which screams for self-comfort; so much so that when God is called upon for help, we are really asking Him to rebuild our lives as we see fit. Sounds like the job profile of a five-star hotel concierge whose purpose is to provide comfort; when God does not respond to our every call, let’s just say, His ratings drop.
My son’s challenges have multiplied over the years; his needs change every day. God revealed to me that I had been treasuring earthly answers, earthly relief, and earthly hopes rather than treasuring God’s carving, cleansing process. We may say we treasure heavenly things, but we don’t mean it until we empty ourselves of our earthly treasures.
The Hope of Heaven
Today, I long for heaven . . . I treasure the thought that in heaven we will be whole and free of pain. I will know my son better—I’ll know aspects of his soul that are now hidden by his profound earthly limitations.
Can you imagine such abundance, such peace, such freedom? Jesus endured earth because He focused on what was eternal. He endured this world, while treasuring the promises of heaven.
Let Me Hear from You
Today, your dreams may be shattering, your hopes diminishing, your faith wavering.
- Maybe it’s time to release some things you’ve treasured and embrace the emptying process.
- Ask God to fill you with His presence and promise of eternal hope.
You will need some strong, gracious, wise support along the way. Please reach out for help; perhaps your first step will be to place your words in our comments section. I promise to respond and provide a listening ear and comforting grace.
Question: What do you most look forward to about heaven? You can leave a comment by clicking here.