The Treasure Beyond All Treasure

Prayer-Soldier · Posted: Mon Jul 31, 2017 9:30 am Post subject: The Treasure Beyond All Treasure

The Treasure Beyond All Treasure

Scripture:

And the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night, saying: Ask what you will that I should give you.

And now, O Lord God, you have made your servant king instead of David, my father: and I am but a child, and know not how to go out and come in; and your servant is in the midst of the people which you have chosen, an immense people, which cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude. Give therefore to your servant an understanding heart, to judge your people, and discern between good and evil. For who shall be able to judge this people, your people, which is so numerous? And the word was pleasing to the Lord, that Solomon had asked such a thing. And the Lord said to Solomon: Because you have asked this thing, and have not asked for yourself long life nor riches, nor the lives of your enemies, but have asked for yourself wisdom to discern judgment; behold I have done for you according to your words, and have given you a wise and understanding heart, in so much that there has been no one like you before you, nor shall arise after you.
(1 Kings 3:5, 7-12)

And we know that to them that love God all things work together unto good: to such as, according to his purpose, are called to be saints. For whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be made conformable to the image of his Son: that he might be the Firstborn among many brethren. And whom he predestined, them he also called. And whom he called, them he also justified. And whom he justified, them he also glorified.
(Romans 8:29-30)

The kingdom of heaven is like unto a treasure hidden in a field which a man having found, hid it, and for joy thereof goes, and sells all that he has, and buys that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like to a merchant seeking good pearls, who when he had found one pearl of great price, went his way, and sold all that he had, and bought it.

Again the kingdom of heaven is like to a net cast into the sea, and gathering together of all kind of fish. Which, when it was filled, they drew out, and sitting by the shore, they chose out the good into vessels, but the bad they cast forth. So shall it be at the end of the world. The angels shall go out, and shall separate the wicked from among the just. And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Have ye understood all these things? They say to him: Yes. He said unto them: Therefore every scribe instructed in the kingdom of heaven, is like to a man that is a householder, who brings forth out of his treasure new things and old.
(Matthew 13:44-52)

Reflection:

Before us within the world are found many precious things, but preciousness is a matter of perception; a matter of values which we choose to assign. Within the world, we see silver and gold. Gold is shiny, but it is only a thing, another element found within the earth. We place a value upon it because of our perception, but what does that value really mean? We cannot eat it, but we can exchange it for things we might eat. It is a substance which can be formed into items of value such as coin, jewelry, or industrial purposes, but the value assigned still remains a matter of our perception.

In our life, we must make choices of value. If we must flee, what would we select as the most valuable items of our possessions to carry with us? Would we turn to gold and all its weight? If our survival depended upon being fleet of foot, would we attempt to flee with a heavy safe of gold? It is circumstance, then, by which we place value upon things, but what value do we place upon what we cannot touch?

As we progress on our daily journey, we make many choices about value. We make choices of value in what we do and what we fail to do. We see value in money and we agonize over for what we might exchange it. We consider what we will pay for food, drink, shelter, clothes, warmth, health, and a variety of desires. We constantly compare the value of things, but have we ever thought about the value of our soul?

To make good choices, we require good, complete, and true information. The quality of our decisions is influenced by what we know, what we learn, and what we can discern as truth. It is what we do not know, deceptions, and the truth we do not comprehend which yield decisions we are likely to regret.

With every decision comes the risk that what we decide may not yield what is in our best interests. In some cases, the impact matters little. In other cases, the result might yield grave harm. There are also the cases where what we choose may be a matter of life or death. We might have cause to pay more attention to the issues of things we cannot undo, of things which may yield harm, of that which may cost a life; but what if the stakes were for the eternity of our soul? What do we seek to enable us so that what we choose does not work against us? What do we seek to ensure the result of our choices is as God intends for us? What do we seek to ensure our eternal salvation?

We need only look at the news to see how conflicts escalate as we argue over the ways of people and do not consider the ways of God. Sadly, so many do not comprehend that when we ignore the ways of God, we ignore a better way.

Jesus related to us the greatest of commandments, the commandments to love God and one another. (Matthew 22:36-40) It is by following these commandments by which we may quell the impact of evil upon the world. It is by ignoring these commandments we inflame and spread the fires of evil.

He calls us to all which is holy. He calls us to all which is right and just. He calls us to all which is found within the blessings of love. The question is, do we open the ears of our heart so we may hear Him, so He may guide us, so He may lead us to His kingdom?

Jesus spoke of the kingdom of heaven, wanting us to understand that what we may find there is greater than the greatest treasures we might find within the world. Our understanding is limited by what we comprehend of what our senses reveal and so it is by comparisons that Jesus seeks to explain to the limits of our understanding. He seeks to encourage us to be less concerned with the wealth of the world and instead set our sights upon the wealth of heaven. (Matthew 16:26, Mark 8:36, Luke 9:25) He seeks for us to understand that all within the world shall pass away and return to the dust from which it came (Genesis 3:19); therefore, we should look to our lives as preparing for the eternal kingdom, His kingdom, where there is no pain or affliction, where evil is not allowed to follow, but most importantly, where love is shared by all. There is no greater treasure than the love which we share. Let us, then, seek the place where we may share in all the blessings of love for all eternity.

Questions for further reflection:

In what ways do we seek truth, wisdom and the knowledge of righteousness?

In what ways may we seek to hear His voice so we may respond to His call?

In what ways may we bring the treasures of heaven to our experience within the world?

May the peace and blessings of the Lord be with you always,
Prayer Soldier