“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” – Matthew 6:21
Where is your treasure upon which all of your love is targeted?
Your spouse, your child, money, career, or a ministry?
Or is it Christ and His inheritance?
I would love to tell you that, for me, the answer to that question is easy. I do have unwavering, immeasurable love for my Savior, Jesus Christ. However, I find myself often struggling against the temptation to squeeze my husband and my children onto God’s throne.
The Lord warns us in Matthew 6 of the danger of seeking satisfaction and security through the possession of things and the accumulation of treasure. The Lord even describes two different kinds of treasure: one on earth and one in heaven. Earthly treasure can be destroyed by rust and moths and can be stolen by thieves. It is subject to the risks of life and is not permanent. Heavenly treasure is untouched by earthly hazards and will remain forever throughout eternity.
Occasionally, we need to perform a “heart” check. People ultimately do what is in their hearts. The amount of time and thought that you give to either earthly or heavenly treasure determines where your real heart is. Therefore, if we delight ourselves in the Lord daily, He will change our heart’s desires to line up with His.
“[The rest of the people] enter into a curse and an oath to adhere to the Law of God which was given through Moses the servant of God, and to obey carefully all the commandments of the Lᴏʀᴅ our Lord, along with His ordinances and His statutes.” – Nehemiah 10:29
Nehemiah 10 gives us a wonderful example of how the Jews rededicated themselves as a nation. They made a public covenant with God and a decision to be faithful in their relationships, faithful in their businesses, and faithful in their service to God.
We may think that it is possible to keep God first in our lives, as well as family, friends, and material things. However, we are deceiving ourselves. When we begin to worship God’s gifts to us more than the Giver of the gift, we are subtly entering dangerous territory, because whatever we treasure becomes our master.
“But our citizenship is in heaven—and we also eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.” – Philippians 3:20
When your treasure is on earth, your heart becomes anchored to this earth. But believers are not citizens of this earth, we are citizens of heaven. Our hearts should be anchored to heaven, so that our treasure is indestructible, never ending, and everlasting.
Whenever I struggle with keeping God as the center of my life, I have to daily remind myself of who God is and how important He is to me.
God is not my Master by right of creation, but He is my Master by right of purchase. I was bought for a price, the precious life blood of Jesus Christ. When I received the Holy Spirit as a deliberate commitment of faith in Jesus Christ, I acknowledged that I am no longer my own. I am God’s child. My time, my money, and my talents are not my own. They all belong to God.
We are presented with a choice of who we will serve. It cannot be God and everything else.
Only God or nothing.
Whenever I struggle with my preoccupation and obsession with things that are not of God, I stop everything and begin to pray. Many of you may not have this struggle, but I know that some of you do. I will be praying for each of you.
Father God, I confess that I am a person with a divided heart. I am so thankful that You have blessed me with the gifts of my husband and my children. But there are times, Father, when I struggle with making them my everything when I know that role is Yours alone. Please forgive me. I want to serve You and worship You wholeheartedly. But there are times, Father, when I want “stuff” more than I want Your kingdom. Please forgive me. Help me to love You and to serve You with singleness of mind, heart, and spirit. Father God, prevent me from wasting time pursuing things that will not last. Father, please give me Your eternal perspective. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Peace and grace to you,
Week 5 Challenge:
This week in our reading, we’ll see great celebration from God’s people for the work of rebuilding He had done and was doing. What is God doing in your life right now that you can celebrate? Whether that work is finished or not, set time aside this week to celebrate and rejoice, proclaiming God’s faithfulness as He continues to work in your life and circumstances.
Week 5 Reading Plan
Week 5 Memory Verse
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