Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matt. 6:19-21
One of our favorite movies as a family is National Treasure. In the movie, Nicolas Cage plays a man in search of a treasure of incredible worth, hidden away for generations. In the end, he finds this treasure, but not before the journey takes him all over the place and takes the movie viewer on a wild ride as well!
In the above passage from Matthew 6, Jesus warns that we can look for and stockpile things we think are valuable, and yet, in reality, they pale in comparison to true treasure. Take a moment to go back and re-read those verses again. Honestly, what kind of treasure are you seeking in this life?
For many in the world, and even for some Christ-followers, the ultimate treasure in life is to be happy. We think that the right person or the right job or the right amount of money in our bank account will bring us this happiness we desire. Although those things can satisfy our cravings for a season, they do not bring ultimate satisfaction to our thirsty souls.
The Apostle Paul said, “But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For His sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith” (Philippians 3:7-9).
The Prophet Jeremiah shared a similar thought thousands of years prior: “Thus says the Lord: ‘Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord’ ” (Jer. 9:23-24).
These and other Scriptures tell us clearly that knowing God through His Son, Jesus, is the greatest treasure any human can discover. More than any person we can know or anything we can possess, the greatest and most valuable treasure is knowing God Himself! For me, even though it has been more than 20 years since I recognized God revealing Himself to me through His Son, I am still overwhelmed that I can know the Lord, the Creator, the One through whom all things exist and hold together.
I will end with what one author shared about this greatest treasure. Nature may give us clues that He exists, but He can only be discovered in the pages of the Bible. Books and sermons may point in the correct direction but the spiritual treasure for the soul is found in 66 books comprised of 1189 chapters or 31,173 verses. Spiritual treasure is the discovery of God Himself in the pages of Scripture. Other books can point us like a street sign in the correct direction, but God can only be found in the Old and New Testaments – no other place. (1)
DISCUSS AS A COUPLE: Take 2-3 minutes to discuss what you just read together. Talk with your spouse about something you may have found insightful or challenging for you, as you ponder the treasures in your own life. Then end your time praying together.
Source: (1) Online Post from Never Thirsty Website: What are You Seeking?
AUTHOR: Glen Solberg is a man who is passionate about marriage - his own and the marriages of those around him! He and his wife, Shawn, have been married since 1992 and have been investing in the marriages of others full-time since 2003.
Written by Glen Solberg, Abiding Marriage, 2020. All Rights Reserved. If you have questions or comments, you can connect with us at info@AbidingMarriage.org