Pat
Well-Known Member
Reminders and Final Thoughts: Where is Your Treasure?
There are phrases and oft quoted scriptures that are so familiar that they get overlooked or lose their intended impact. Commands such as, “Do unto others; Love thy enemy; Judge not lest thou be judged,” can seem trite or even irrelevant until God causes them to impact our lives personally. When unexpected events occur, these verses come alive, often to reveal blind spots in our lives.
When we hear of tragedies occurring, such as devastating earthquakes, all-consuming wildfires, wars, or toxic train derailments, we feel bad for the people impacted. But because we aren’t personally acquainted with them, our involvement is minimal. It isn’t until these things happen to someone close to us, or to ourselves, that we become aware of God’s personal conviction of how we are to respond. What were, prior to the tragedy, only unrelatable Biblical admonitions, suddenly become life changing commands that take on new meanings.
I have some Christian friends whose house was broken into, and all their life savings and precious belongings were stolen. Because of their personal relationship to me, I grieved at their loss, then pondered how I would feel if I was in their position. What if I were to surrender all my earthly treasure to the Lord? I tell others that I have already done that, but have I really? My friend’s possessions were taken without their consent. Could I by faith, consent to obey what Jesus told His disciples to do? “Sell what you have and give alms; provide yourselves bags which grow not old, a treasure in the heavens that fails not, where no thief approaches, neither moth corrupts.” Luke 12:33 The next verse really hit home to me, “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” Jesus asked me where my heart was. I responded quickly without contemplation that it was in heaven. He revealed that I have way too much treasure stored up here for that to be true. Where is your heart?
Final thoughts: Why does God allow bad things to happen to His people? The answer isn’t often revealed until long after a tragedy occurs and is sometimes never revealed. Romans 11:33 tells us that “His ways are past finding out.” Job thought he had an idea of why he went through all the trouble he did, and his friends were sure of why, but God never revealed His purpose to either of them. We can rely on this though, “Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the patience of Job and seen the end of the Lord—that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful.” James 5:11 We also have these familiar verses, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son.” Romans 8:28-29 and Ephesians 1:11 says that we have been “predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His own will.” God is sovereign, but He predestines us to be conformed to the image of His Son by the means that He chooses. We don’t get to pick our trials. “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.” Luke 9:23
