Treasures

Imagine, if you will, that your house is on fire. All the people and pets are safe, so the question is – “What one thing would you try to save?”
For me, it would be my treasure box, a small onyx box containing an oyster shell, a cheap necklace, a silver thimble, a baby hospital bracelet, and some home-made Mother’s Day cards.
I suspect that many of you will have a variation on one of these boxes. Baby items or sentimental bits and bobs, that a stranger might think worthless, but that you hold dear – not because of the value of each object, but because of the treasured memories that are associated with them.
The richest man on earth could have everything he could desire – but to what end? How does this monetary wealth make him happier or more content? The simple truth is, that it does not, and never can do.
Happiness is rarely measured in things you buy. Our true Treasure can only be found where our heart is. How blessed we are to have our hearts in the gentle hands of Jesus, our Saviour and Lord of Heaven. And He has promised us Heavenly treasures, that await us when we finally come to meet Him in Heaven.
In Luke, Chapter 12, Jesus is teaching on the subject of Wealth; telling the parable of a man who stored up riches on earth, only to find he should have been working on earning treasures in Heaven, by being “rich towards God.”
How do we demonstrate how we are “rich towards God”?
By the way we act. Kindness, generosity, forgiveness, faithfulness. These are our gifts to God. We need to focus, not on earthly treasures, but on the priorities that God has set us – working towards His Kingdom.
If we have focused our lives on the Heavenly reward, then our memories and good deeds will live on as the treasures in our hearts.

“Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” Luke 12:34

I pray that we will always hold in our hearts the promise of our Heavenly treasure, and hear at last those wonderful words: “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

AMEN