The gospel is like boundless riches, and a mystery- how alluring!
Eph. 3:8-9
8 Although I am less than the least of all the Lord’s people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the boundless riches of Christ, 9 and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things
Ever since childhood, people have loved a good treasure hunt! As kids we hunted for eggs at Easter or made up stories of secret pirate treasure buried at the end of a complicated map. As grown-ups, we might search through op-shops, scroll eBay online, or go geo-caching. All of this to search for some hidden treasure of great worth.
The apostle Paul has found one such treasure, and it’s been hidden for ages (v9)! Though he admits he’s got a pretty poor track record of spreading the good news of Jesus (and he’s not exaggerating! See Acts 9), he counts it a grace – an undeserved gift – to get to tell people that when someone trusts in Jesus Christ, they have unimaginable riches! He wants to make it crystal clear: when you trust Jesus, you can have perfect peace with God and be in his family.
I usually find it so easy to take for granted the treasure of knowing I’m identified as God’s own beloved child, and that I have peace with God despite my stuff-ups and failings. The Corona virus has unsettled me a bit, as I suspect it has all of us. The way it shows that health and life is so fragile reminds me that no amount of good things – new clothes, tea, chocolate, even fun times with loved ones – can last or be as perfect as what I’ll have in heaven with my perfect, forever-living, loving Father God. Because of Jesus I share in a boundless heavenly treasure!
How might we keep reminding ourselves of our true treasures in Jesus, so we don’t accidentally get sucked in to spending all our time, money and energy on temporary treasures of this world? What music can you listen to, what time or money can you set aside now to invest in the Kingdom of Heaven, what energy do you have to remind yourself or others of Jesus today?
Prayer:
Father God,
At great cost to yourself, you have promised me the riches of eternal life, full of joy, with you. This gives me great peace and hope now. Thank-you. Help me to today to truthfully say with the hymn-writer, “Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise, Thou mine inheritance now and always. Thou and thou only the first in my heart, High King of heaven my treasure thou art”.
In Jesus’ name, Amen
A song to listen to: Be Thou My Vision (feat. Kristyn Getty, Live at Shepherd’s Conference)
Danae Woodward
Living Church Creek Road
