“The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure, hidden in a field, that a person found and hid. Then because of joy he went and sold all that he had and bought that field.” (Matthew 13:44)
Back in my business days, I met with industry leaders at exotic locations. We stayed in five-star hotels with every amenity. The halls were graced with pieces of art, each worth more than most people will make in a lifetime. More recently, I ministered in hovels, slept in mud huts, and ate whatever the poor could offer. God allowed me to experience the gamut so I might discover a vital truth.
Joy doesn’t come from circumstances—rather, it comes from a treasure I clutch to my heart in any place and any setting. This prize is a multifaceted spiritual gemstone I must never let out of my grasp. The name of my gem is “Faith in Christ,” and whether I’m coddled in extravagance or deprived by poverty, I curl around my jewel and shut out the world.
I turn the stone in my hands and ponder each facet. One side sparkles the truth that I’m forgiven. Other facets shine paradise and release from the curse into my eyes. Perfect, stunning, lovely warmth from the Holy Spirit glows from my treasure and into my soul. Absorbed by this great trophy, I care little if the roof above me is gilded in gold or peeling in decay.
I can’t live without the luminance I clutch to my core. It’s my future. I can live without present recognition, health, or abundance—but not without the future radiating from my gem.
Prayer: Lord, I wrap myself around the treasure of you.