NO BIBLE NO BREAKFAST DAILY BIBLE REFLECTIONS AND MORE

REFLECTION

The theme for our reflection is Treasures in Heaven. Treasure is a wealth of any kind. It could be money, precious metals or a collection of precious things. Heaven is regarded as the dwelling place of God, and other celestial beings. It is a place reserved for all who have been saved or would be granted salvation through Christ Jesus. We shall proceed to understand why we must store up treasure in heaven.

Dear friend, we store up treasures in heaven because both our wealth and the earth we live on are ephemeral. In other words, our time on this earth has a date of birth and date of death, however, we have been created for eternity. The eternity has two destinations. These are heaven and hell. It is for this reason Jesus greatly admonishes us “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matthew 6:19-21) What kind of treasure is Jesus talking about? Is it a physical or spiritual treasure? Beloved in the Lord, the treasure Jesus is talking about which is the most valuable treasure given to humanity is our spiritual lives. This life is eternal, Jesus requires us to use the earthly treasures to secure an eternal abode or place in heaven for our most priceless treasure which is our lives. It is, for this reason, Paul wrote to Timothy that “Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way, they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life. (1 Timothy 6:17-19). In other words, we cannot hold on to earthly treasures forever, we are only stewards and in a short time, we shall be called upon to hand them all over to another and come before our creator to render an account of how we have used all the treasures He blessed us with while we were on earth. We are told in Ecclesiastes 2:20-23 about the fleeting nature of all the earthly treasures we have currently toiled for, “So my heart began to despair over all my toilsome labour under the sun. For a person may labour with wisdom, knowledge and skill, and then they must leave all they own to another who has not toiled for it. This too is meaningless and a great misfortune. What do people get for all the toil and anxious striving with which they labour under the sun? All their days their work is grief and pain; even at night their minds do not rest. This too is meaningless. My dear friend in the Lord, It took only forty-five (45) seconds for people to lose their lives and all the treasures they had toiled for many decades through the devastating earthquake that rocked southeast Turkey near the Syrian border. This confirms that the Words of Jesus are true, our earthly treasures can not guarantee eternal life because they rot or are destroyed one way or the other. This lent season offers us another opportunity to surrender our most precious and priceless treasures, our lives, into the hands of our maker and accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour. It is only through salvation in Christ Jesus and obedience to His Word by loving others and supporting them with our treasures that we are able “store up for ourselves treasures in heaven (Matthew 6:20) Shalom.

PRAYER (TAKE MY LIFE AND LET IT BE, STANZAS 1 AND 4)

1. Take my life and let it be
   consecrated, Lord, to thee.
   Take my moments and my days;
   let them flow in endless praise,
   let them flow in endless praise.
2. Take my silver and my gold;
   not a mite would I withhold.
   Take my intellect and use
   every power as thou shalt choose,
   every power as thou shalt choose.

Amen.