Treasures?

 

Early in life I collected stamps. Later, it became pictures of Elvis Presley. After that, all I wanted to collect was information. Sometimes I save to my hard drive photos of art and fine quilts, just to look at and not possess because God has been teaching me something…

Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. (Matthew 6:19–20)

I’ve wondered if growing weaker in body and memory is the reason for wanting to declutter, but when I read these verses, I think that the folly of collecting stuff is basically, “I cannot take it with me.” When my father died, he left the only possessions he was using — his electric shaver and a bottle of aftershave in a small cardboard box.

I look around me: three computers and an i-pad, a smart phone, yards and yards of fabric, sewing equipment, books including a stack of cookbooks, kitchen stuff, a full pantry, a full closet, an SUV and a bike, and so on and realize if God called me home today, none of it, even the most used or most loved stuff, would go with me. Possessions are really not mine anyway. All of it is on loan and I’m to be a good steward of it.

In the OT, God’s people were given a far more valuable possession:

And the Lord said to Aaron, “You shall have no inheritance in their land, neither shall you have any portion among them. I am your portion and your inheritance among the people of Israel. (Numbers 18:20)

What an amazing gift from God — Himself! This ensured that the Levites were content to live without any other possessions because in having nothing, they possessed all things, for God was their possession.

This remains true for God’s people now. Many NT verses speak of it, first concerning His supply of the necessities of life, but also all we need to serve and glorify Him:

Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. (Matthew 6:31–33)

His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, (2 Peter 1:3)

And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. (2 Corinthians 9:8)

He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? (Romans 8:32)

All my physical possessions are supplied by God if I make seeking Him a priority. All spiritual needs are supplied by God as I serve Him. By grace, He gave me Jesus. By grace He supplies all that I need. I can only conclude that if I have any physical possession that I do not need or use, it should belong to someone else. Not only that, I learned from my generous sister that if I give something away yet eventually need it, God will somehow give it back to me. In other words, He is my resource, no one and nothing else.

PRAY: Jesus, it is easy to see that when my hands are full of my own things, I cannot fully grasp  possession of the things that are eternal. As today’s devotional says, only empty hands can grasp a gift, receive the filling and the gifts that You give. Forgive me for any glorying I have done over my possessions, physical or otherwise. May You enable me to be a good steward and wisely deal with anything that is not for me and could be helpful for others. You indicated that when my life is emptied, I am more able to receive what You want for me. I can get too distracted by my stuff. Give me wisdom for this decluttering task.

What is at the top of my ‘treasure list’?

 

Last night I tidied my studio. I have a wall of shelving full of fabric. When I look at it, two thoughts come to mind. One is the lament of many quilters: I will not live long enough to use it all. The other is a remark my son made when he last saw it: “Mom, when you die, what am I supposed to do with all this fabric?”

Since fabric is part of my creative passion, I need to guard my attitude toward it. I know that despite the benefits of money and our worldly possessions, everything I own is eventually lost. If someone doesn’t steal it, or if it doesn’t lose its value, or it never get used to make a charity quilt, death will separate all that fabric from me. That’s why Jesus said,

Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. (Matthew 6:19–20)

Today’ devotional states it plainly: unlike earthly treasures, our eternal inheritance can never be taken away from us.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, (1 Peter 1:3–4)

MacArthur connects this distinction between earthly possessions and my eternal inheritance to sin. Without sin, he suggests this futility may not exist.

For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. (Romans 8:20–22)

Again, he repeats that my eternal inheritance is not like earthly treasures. It is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for me. The words used here describe a land that had never been ravaged or plundered by an invading army, meaning that my spiritual inheritance is secure and can never be violated by an intruder—not even Satan himself. That invasion began in Eden and was defeated at Calvary. We wait until our victory is fulfilled.

“Undefiled” speaks of something unpolluted by sin. “Will not fade away” suggests a supernatural beauty that time cannot impair. Peter used the same word in 1 Peter 5:4 to speak of the unfading crown of glory faithful church leaders will receive when Christ returns. “And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.” (1 Peter 5:4)

My eternal inheritance is unique. Unlike my fabric or any other possessions, no one can steal it, it cannot rot or burn up, and nothing can ruin it or diminish it in any way. It’s mine to enjoy to its fullest throughout all eternity. While the pursuit of perishable things can be a distraction from the joy of eternal riches, thinking about eternity keeps me from getting in a tizzy about ‘using up all that fabric.’ God’s plan lasts far longer than anything I can create or do while here on earth. This truth helps me keep my perspective and keeps me from using that pile of color and cloth as an excuse for ‘no time’ for prayer and doing whatever else God asks.

PRAY: Lord, You are excellent in keeping me focused. I’ve fought a bit of ADHD most of my life, but You have taken care of it by putting Yourself first in my heart. I’m so thankful that You continually remind me of what is the most value to You and what will last for eternity.

PONDER: I read Matthew 6:19-34 and realize how God has proven the truth of verse 33 by insisting I focus on Him instead of all the other things that try to capture my attention. Again, I am so thankful.

 

 

 

Priorities

 

READ Micah 1–4

Like the other prophets, Micah’s message contains both warnings and hope. He denounces sin in the lives of God’s people yet tells of a coming day when there would be peace among all nations. While he brings both good news and bad, I find his words and language less plain than most of the other OT minor prophets. However, these words are blunt and severe:

Hear this, you heads of the house of Jacob and rulers of the house of Israel, who detest justice and make crooked all that is straight, who build Zion with blood and Jerusalem with iniquity. Its heads give judgment for a bribe; its priests teach for a price; its prophets practice divination for money; yet they lean on the Lord and say, “Is not the Lord in the midst of us? No disaster shall come upon us.” Therefore because of you Zion shall be plowed as a field; Jerusalem shall become a heap of ruins, and the mountain of the house a wooded height. (Micah 3:9–12)

God is exposing their greed and their love of money. Financial gain has become more important than justice, spiritual instruction, and honest seeking of God’s will. These leaders claim to be protected by the LORD, but Micah tells them their fate. Yet he also offers hope, not for the near future but for the ‘latter days’ that most understand to be a future time when the current way of life will come to an end:

It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and it shall be lifted up above the hills; and peoples shall flow to it, and many nations shall come, and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.” For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. He shall judge between many peoples, and shall decide disputes for strong nations far away; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore; but they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree, and no one shall make them afraid, for the mouth of the Lord of hosts has spoken. (4:1–4)

This is not utopia but at least much better than their sinfulness at that time, and the life they will soon experience in exile. In those ‘latter days’ they will return to the Lord and, as the phrase about sitting under their tree indicates, each will study the word of God. Micah says, “For all the peoples walk each in the name of its god, but we will walk in the name of the Lord our God forever and ever.” (4:5)

The exile will happen, and the people will be dismayed, not realizing God’s purpose for it. Those who take them into captivity will be oblivious to God’s plan also:

Now many nations are assembled against you, saying, “Let her be defiled, and let our eyes gaze upon Zion.” But they do not know the thoughts of the Lord; they do not understand his plan, that he has gathered them as sheaves to the threshing floor. Arise and thresh, O daughter of Zion, for I will make your horn iron, and I will make your hoofs bronze; you shall beat in pieces many peoples; and shall devote their gain to the Lord, their wealth to the Lord of the whole earth. (4:11–13)

It seems that the way God works is often a mystery to us as well. Christians are being “gathered as sheaves to the threshing floor” and this seems a terrible thing, yet in the process, the people of God are being made stronger. Our victories do not make the evening news, yet thousands are “sitting under their tree” learning the will of God and becoming fearless in the face of persecution and deadly threats. Greed is being changed to generosity as God’s people realize time is short and our bank accounts  and possessions will not pass the tests nor go into eternity with us.

For me, simply purging the excess seems wise — in contrast to my earlier days of accumulating stuff, more stuff than a person needs. I’m also motivated to giving, not hanging on to possessions and funds that God graciously provides.

We are in those ‘latter days’ and Jesus has proven His promise:

Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. (Matthew 6:31–33)

The ‘exile’ of Covid, the power of God’s Word, and the grace of God makes His priorities clear: seek Jesus, seek to be like Jesus. Don’t be concerned about this life and its stuff. Instead, devote all that I am and have to Him and His kingdom.