"For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."
Luke 12:34
The verses prior to this offer advice about selling the things that we own and giving to the poor, explaining that if our treasure is in heaven that it can't be stolen, and also reminding us that God will provide for us the things that we need if we have faith in him and put the interests of God first.
This verse I was particularly struck by because I think it is foundational in considering some of these issues. What are the things that we value the most? Although I think all of us would like to say that God and the gospel are the most important, it might be closer to the truth if we said that an individual person, or our job, or our car, or the internet, or sliced bread, or flushing toilets, or toys, or music, or a favorite hobby... whatever it is that is closest to our hearts, it very often isn't God.
I think that is why God suggests giving things up and trading them in, and letting go of worldly possessions... not because we don't need them sometimes, but because that shouldn't be where our focus is. If our treasure is a truck, then all Satan has to do to get us is to distract us for a moment so that it gets in a wreck. If our true treasure is with God, then even when the truck gets totaled, we can be okay and happy, and focused on moving forward.
Now of course, especially with people, prioritizing God can work along with serving and taking care of others. When there is a conflict though, that is when we have to examine our priorities... similarly with anything else. Things don't *have* to get in the way of our relationship with God. Unfortunately, they very often do because we aren't getting our priorities straight... and if we put our trust in earthly things, then that can seriously mess up our peace, because anything that isn't eternal is eventually going to be lost.
Today, let's examine our priorities and our hearts, being honest with ourselves and with God about what is important to us in our lives, and what we are putting first. Let's work on making sure our real treasure is with God, safe where it can't be lost or taken. If it isn't God that is coming first right now, let's work on that. Life is always going to be better if we get that one priority right, for as God explains in verse 31, if we do, then all the other things that we need "shall be added unto [us]."
Luke 12:34
The verses prior to this offer advice about selling the things that we own and giving to the poor, explaining that if our treasure is in heaven that it can't be stolen, and also reminding us that God will provide for us the things that we need if we have faith in him and put the interests of God first.
This verse I was particularly struck by because I think it is foundational in considering some of these issues. What are the things that we value the most? Although I think all of us would like to say that God and the gospel are the most important, it might be closer to the truth if we said that an individual person, or our job, or our car, or the internet, or sliced bread, or flushing toilets, or toys, or music, or a favorite hobby... whatever it is that is closest to our hearts, it very often isn't God.
I think that is why God suggests giving things up and trading them in, and letting go of worldly possessions... not because we don't need them sometimes, but because that shouldn't be where our focus is. If our treasure is a truck, then all Satan has to do to get us is to distract us for a moment so that it gets in a wreck. If our true treasure is with God, then even when the truck gets totaled, we can be okay and happy, and focused on moving forward.
Now of course, especially with people, prioritizing God can work along with serving and taking care of others. When there is a conflict though, that is when we have to examine our priorities... similarly with anything else. Things don't *have* to get in the way of our relationship with God. Unfortunately, they very often do because we aren't getting our priorities straight... and if we put our trust in earthly things, then that can seriously mess up our peace, because anything that isn't eternal is eventually going to be lost.
Today, let's examine our priorities and our hearts, being honest with ourselves and with God about what is important to us in our lives, and what we are putting first. Let's work on making sure our real treasure is with God, safe where it can't be lost or taken. If it isn't God that is coming first right now, let's work on that. Life is always going to be better if we get that one priority right, for as God explains in verse 31, if we do, then all the other things that we need "shall be added unto [us]."
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