"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 6:21 NRSV
Where is our treasure? To answer the question, we must first answer what we treasure. Is it tangible items like homes, cars, and money? Or is it the intangible things? Those items that we can't easily put a price tag on but value highly. Our relationships with family and friends, leisure activities, and our time. I remember complaining to my Marketing Professor and later friend, Ed Cerny, that I hadn't had enough time to complete a class assignment. I recall his response, "We always find time to do the things we care about." That's been a valuable life lesson that has stuck with me for over 30 years.
Jesus is saying the same thing in today's verse. Those things we prize, those items that are a priority, we pursue enthusiastically and lovingly. Family, friends, and leisure are essential. I'm not saying they aren't. They are vital to our physical and mental health. But where do we place our relationship with God, our spiritual health, in the list of things we treasure? Is he on the list? Is he at the top of our list? Or do other things come before him?
Are we pursuing our spiritual treasure with the same enthusiasm and love? Are we studying scripture and spending time in conversation with him? Are we sharing our love of Christ with others? The more we invest in our relationship with God, the greater our treasure grows.
Heavenly Father, in your graciousness, you give us many things we treasure, and we give you thanks. But we confess we have placed a higher value on those things than our relationship with you. Forgive us; we pray. Please help us review the items we cherish and to remember you are our number one treasurer. Acknowledging this is true, may we pursue our spiritual treasure with all our body, mind, and soul anew. In the name of Jesus our Christ, we pray. Amen
Blessings,
Pastor Tim
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