I'm thinking today of Matthew 13, 44. Jesus is
speaking and he says, The kingdom of heaven is
like a treasure hidden in the field, which a
man found and hid again. And from joy over it,
he goes and sells everything that he has and
buys that field. Man, a whole sermon series preaches
out of this one verse, that's for sure. But there's
one thing in there that really ought to encourage
us. What would you pay? What would you give?
What would you lose and never be able to get
back in order to have the kingdom of God? That
is to say, the reign of God, the presence of
God in your life. And the answer is literally
everything that you have. Everything that I have,
I would readily sell, give up in order to have
the kingdom of God. Now, that's hard to think
of when I think about... some of the intangibles,
my feeling of peace, family, my loved ones, my
jobs, my bills paid, things like that. But we
would literally give all that up. If we understand
the value of the kingdom of God and how God at
work in us and God's presence in us, then we
would never be providentially hindered. We would
never have a job or a situation or a gift or
a loss that would interfere with God's presence
in our lives. We would let it all go. in order
to have God and God alone at the helm. His control,
his power, his purpose, his provision. Lord,
we have everything to do to celebrate what's
in you and all that you want to do in us. So
we say, help us let you be first. Please, God,
please make us able and to remember that this
kingdom of God thing that is you in us, it's
worth more than we have.