Where is your treasure?

“Foxes have holes, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay His head.” Matthew 8:20.

The first devotional I wrote was in 2013.   I was the kickoff speaker at a conference the morning I wrote it.  I woke up earlier than normal at 4:30 and couldn’t go back to sleep – amped-up about the day ahead.  I finally got up and decided to go for a pre-dawn walk.  The motel was in a safe location, and while walking through the parking lot there was an junky Toyota Corolla that had its trunk tied down with wire to keep it from popping open.  It had a bumper sticker that read “Don’t judge me by my automobile – my treasure is  in heaven.”

Fast forward 11 years and changing residences at this ripe old age.  I know that I have toted off several  tons of stuff.  We gave our golf cart to the older daughter who will tool around to the neighborhood swimming pool in it this summer; we gave our patio set and our LSU bench to our youngest daughter: we have donated  a lot of furniture, books, household items to Goodwill and Teen Challenge and left all kinds of clothes and items, equipment we will not use  at the Yum-Yum box (dumpster) a mile from our old farm place.  It is snatched up within hours.  Mary and I have been overwhelmed, wondering how did we accumulate so much stuff –  and what about keepsake stuff, the sentimental stuff that the following generations won’t give a flip about?  Exhausted with all the excess and sweating the elastic out of my underwear day-after-day as we sorted and packed and move boxes and stuff during the heat wave – to quote Solomon’s opening salvo in Ecclesiastes, “Meaningless, it’s all meaningless.”

I am willing to bet  that most of the residents in the retirement community we are leaving have more  possessions than the Rich Young Ruler (Mark 10: 17-27).  If you don’t know the story, the young man asked Jesus how to achieve eternal life (I am keeping it simple). When Jesus asked him had he had kept the commandments, he said he that indeed he had, and Jesus said He could see that (I think tongue in cheek) so Jesus told him sell everything you have and follow me. . . Bam!   Jesus  looked into the man’s heart and knew his  possessions were his idol. The tale ends with the young ruler going  away sad. I am guilty of being sucked in by the world’s obsession with material things, but I am pleased to say at this ripe old age, “It’s all going to burn.”  I look around today, and realize if I drop dead right now, nothing is going with me. 

I reflected on excess and materialism this past Fourth of July, as we rested in the blistering heat from day-after-day moving preparations.  Some folks reflected and honored those who paid the ultimate price for our freedom; to some it was just a “me day” – a big party day.  Yet I wonder how many  truly recognize that we owe all the blessings that this great nation has bestowed upon it to our Lord.  

The first two commandments of the Ten Commandments are about putting idols above God’s sovereignty.  In the Sermon on the Mount,  Jesus said, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” 

Jesus never married, never owned a home, had no place to lay His head. He came to substitute for our sins and provide us an eternal home with Him – free of sin and despair. I know if I will just be still for a moment each day, the truth of His coming reminds and assures me that my treasure is in heaven. 

Where is your treasure today?

Lord forgive us for our selfishness and our excesses.  Forgive us for going about our business and not giving credit to You for these blessings. We praise Your name for all of our blessings – and that this election year – that this would be a time of repentance; that today would be a day of prayer for our country – not selfishness, nor uncivil behavior, nor division. You have said You will never leave us or forsake us; we capture that promise – and confess and profess – everything we have belongs to You. Thank you, Lord for your Son and our Savior, who paid the ultimate price for our salvation and the promise of eternal life.  Amen

“I have never seen a hearse pulling a U-haul.” Unknown