Verse: Matthew 13:44
The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.
Devotion
This parable spoken by Jesus to his disciples was to help them understand that the kingdom of God was of such great value to them that they should be willing to give up all that they have to gain it. The man in the parable took three steps which can be important in our own spiritual journey.
First, he was seeking, looking for the hidden treasure. Are we still looking and finding God’s kingdom all around us?
Second, he sacrificed all to obtain the kingdom and committed all he had toward it. It says in Matthew 16:25 that “whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” The man in the parable was willing to sell all he had to purchase the field. We cannot purchase the kingdom of God but we do need to die to our self and selfish interests to fully live in the kingdom.
Third, he took ownership of the treasure. He did not want to let it go, to slip away. He made a commitment to living his life centered on the kingdom and its values.
Where are you in your spiritual journey? I feel like all three of these are always going on in our lives. When we see God break through in our lives, we feel that newness of finding Him again. We want to be with Him always and are willing to sacrifice ourselves and our needs to live a life with Him. When things get tough, we want to hold on to that relationship with God and try to live out His values even though it can be hard to do.
If you are struggling in one of these areas, ask God to give you wisdom and direction. Talk with another mature Christian who can pray with you. Don’t easily give up but take hold of the kingdom for it will bring great joy to your life.
Prayer
Dear Lord, help us to reach out to you as we desire to grow spiritually and to know you better. We want to find you and die to ourselves so we can live with you forever in your kingdom.
Author: Brad Dunn
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