What Is Our Treasure?

Prayer-Soldier · Posted: Sun Aug 11, 2019 3:35 pm Post subject: What Is Our Treasure?

What Is Our Treasure?

Scripture:

For that night was known before by our fathers, that assuredly knowing what oaths they had trusted to, they might be of better courage. So your people received the salvation of the just, and destruction of the unjust. For as you did punish the adversaries: so you did also encourage and glorify us. For the just children of good men were offering sacrifice secretly, and they unanimously ordered a law of justice: that the just should receive both good and evil alike, singing now the praises of the fathers.
(Wisdom 18:6-9)

Now, faith is the substance of things to be hoped for, the evidence of things that appear not. For by this the ancients obtained a testimony.

By faith he that is called Abraham obeyed to go out into a place which he was to receive for an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing whither he went. By faith he abode in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in cottages, with Isaac and Jacob, the co-heirs of the same promise. For he looked for a city that has foundations: whose builder and maker is God. By faith also Sara herself, being barren, received strength to conceive seed, even past the time of age: because she believed that he was faithful who had promised, For which cause there sprung even from one (and him as good as dead) as the stars of heaven in multitude and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable. All these died according to faith, not having received the promises but beholding them afar off and saluting them and confessing that they are pilgrims and strangers on the earth. For they that say these things do signify that they seek a country. And truly, if they had been mindful of that from whence they came out, they had doubtless, time to return. But now they desire a better, that is to say, a heavenly country. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he has prepared for them a city. By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, (To whom it was said: In Isaac shall your seed be called:) Accounting that God is able to raise up even from the dead. Whereupon also he received him for a parable.
(Hebrews 11:8-19)

Fear not, little flock, for it has pleased your Father to give you a kingdom. Sell what you possess and give alms. Make to yourselves bags which grow not old, a treasure in heaven which fails not: where no thief approaches, nor moth corrupts. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Let your loins be girt and lamps burning in your hands. And you yourselves like to men who wait for their lord, when he shall return from the wedding; that when he comes and knocks, they may open to him immediately. Blessed are those servants whom the Lord, when he comes, shall find watching. Amen I say to you that he will gird himself and make them sit down to meat and passing will minister unto them. And if he shall come in the second watch or come in the third watch and find them so, blessed are those servants. But this know you, that if the householder did know at what hour the thief would come, he would surely watch and would not suffer his house to be broken open. Be you then also ready: for at what hour you think not the Son of man will come.

And Peter said to him: Lord, do you speak this parable to us, or likewise to all? And the Lord said: Who thinks you is the faithful and wise steward, whom his lord sets over his family, to give them their measure of wheat in due season? Blessed is that servant whom, when his lord shall come, he shall find so doing. Verily I say to you, he will set him over all that he possesses. But if that servant shall say in his heart: My Lord is long a coming; and shall begin to strike the men-servants and maid-servants, and to eat and to drink and be drunk: The lord of that servant will come in the day that he hopes not, and at the hour that he knows not: and shall separate him and shall appoint him his portion with unbelievers. And that servant, who knew the will of his lord and prepared not himself and did not according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he that knew not and did things worthy of stripes shall be beaten with few stripes. And unto whomsoever much is given, of him much shall be required: and to whom they have committed much, of him they will demand the more.
( Luke 12:32-48 )

Reflection:

We all have a desire to improve our position in life such that we are not in want and our desires are satisfied. Some are able to achieve blessings and measures of happiness while others seem constantly under struggle. The desire of God is not for our struggle, but that we may rise above our struggle such that all may share the blessings of His providence. If we are to do so, though, we must seek to understand what He asks of us so we may follow the path He points out to us; the path of love (cf. Matthew 22:36-40) and all which is right and just. (cf. Exodus 20:1-17, 1 Samuel 15:22, Ecclesiastes 4:17, and Matthew 25:31-46)

If we open our hearts to Him, He will lead us to that which shall provide for our eternal happiness, but the evil one lies in wait to seduce us away from such blessings. Temptations are laid before us to pursue the treasures of the world over the eternal treasure which awaits us in heaven. If we are to truly comprehend, we must observe how the treasures of the world burden our shoulders and weigh us down, while the treasures which God desires for us may be carried in abundance within our hearts while lifting us up to His kingdom.

The joy of our day may be perceived by what we gather of the world, but even the most precious objects of the world cannot compare to what is precious to God. It is true, we must endeavor to provide sustenance for our body and to seek shelter against the elements of the world, but what is the body if its soul is corrupt? For this reason, we must first seek to nourish the soul and fill it with the wisdom of the Lord if we are to comprehend and share of the blessings and true treasures He has laid out for us.

As we look forward with the desire to improve our standing in life, we must ask ourselves, what is our treasure? Is it the same as the wealth which God desires we should have? Some believe they will obtain gain through greed, corruption, or the abuse of others, but are we to believe that the One who created us will be pleased by our selfishness? Are we to expect His mercy as we abuse His creation?

God gave the children of His creation dominion over the world which He gave form and set in motion. ( cf. Genesis 1:26-28 ) Implicit in His commandments, the Words of His prophets, and the teaching of His only begotten Son; that dominion implies a responsibility of care; a responsibility which includes how we care for and enable one another. (cf. Matthew 25:14-46)

If we look for our treasure within the world, we shall become slaves of the world, but if we look for our treasure within the ways of God, we shall not want. As we discover what God desires for us, we shall find that our desires will not be for that which shall decay, but for that which is everlasting in the eyes of the Lord. Our desires will not be for that which increases the burdens upon our shoulders, but that which shall lift the heart so that our burdens of the world are lessened. Let us pray, then, that we shall be guided in the ways we may store up within our hearts the most important treasure of heaven, the blessings of love. It is the treasure poured out for us from upon the cross, the treasure which is shared by all in heaven; the treasure which God desires shall fill every heart.

Questions for further reflection:

In what ways do we seek to learn and accomplish what God asks of us?

In what ways does God point to the treasures He tells us we should store up within our hearts?

Where is our heart, and therefore our treasure, in relation to the ways and treasures of God?

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