Eternal Treasure

2 Samuel 7; Psalms 56–57; Ezekiel 15; 2 Corinthians 1

My mother used to tell me not to waste my talents. Sometimes she quoted the Bible verses that use that word (but it meant money in those days.) She was talking about my artistic abilities that she wanted fully developed.

However, it was not long before I realized two things. One was that no matter how good I became at anything, there was always someone who could do better. From that, I realized how easily the developing of talents can involve competitiveness, pride and skewed priorities — three things that are not at all what God wants for me.

I never blame my mother for this value system. She wasn’t urging bad attitudes, just good art. I try to do the best I can yet in the doing need to watch out for feeling like a failure (pride) because I start comparing what I do with the excellence I see in the work of others (competitiveness) and regretting that I’m not working harder on those things that I realize do not last (skewed priorities).

This day, I’m reading about King David and how he wanted to build a house for God. He lived in fancy digs and worshiped the Lord in a tent.

Now when the king lived in his house and the Lord had given him rest from all his surrounding enemies, the king said to Nathan the prophet, “See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells in a tent.” And Nathan said to the king, “Go, do all that is in your heart, for the Lord is with you.” (2 Samuel 7:1–3)

The prophet meant well, but God corrected him and David:

But that same night the word of the Lord came to Nathan, “Go and tell my servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord: Would you build me a house to dwell in? I have not lived in a house since the day I brought up the people of Israel from Egypt to this day, but I have been moving about in a tent for my dwelling. In all places where I have moved with all the people of Israel, did I speak a word with any of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, saying, “Why have you not built me a house of cedar?” ’ Now, therefore, thus you shall say to my servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, that you should be prince over my people Israel. And I have been with you wherever you went and have cut off all your enemies from before you. And I will make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth. And I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them, so that they may dwell in their own place and be disturbed no more. And violent men shall afflict them no more, as formerly, from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel. And I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover, the Lord declares to you that the Lord will make you a house. (2 Samuel 7:4–11)

David was humbled by this. He said:

“Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far? And yet this was a small thing in your eyes, O Lord God. You have spoken also of your servant’s house (meaning his dynasty) for a great while to come, and this is instruction for mankind, O Lord God! And what more can David say to you? For you know your servant, O Lord God! Because of your promise, and according to your own heart, you have brought about all this greatness, to make your servant know it. Therefore you are great, O Lord God. For there is none like you, and there is no God besides you, according to all that we have heard with our ears.” (2 Samuel 7:18–22, italics mine)

His words humble me also because the Lord reminds me of all the changes He has accomplished in my life, changes far more important than being able to turn out a spectacular piece of art or anything else that will not last forever. I’m a far cry from being like Jesus, yet I know that because of God’s grace that is my path and His goal. One day I will move from here to an eternal dwelling with the Creator of the universe, an Artist that no one can compete with or be proud or vain alongside. He has switched my priorities from here-and-now feel-good stuff to eternal treasures. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, I can produce eternal fruit. It does not come with ribbons or trophies but no matter. Like David, I can see it was a small thing in God’s eyes — yet in my eyes all that He has done fills me with the same heart of worship.

APPLY: Praise to the Lord most High. His grace and mercy endures forever!