This morning I hit on a Matthew verse that I have read many times, with which countless sermons have been given (in my hearing and otherwise), and I have even used this passage for devotionals I have given. But something new hit me today.
Matthew 6:19-21 says, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
This passage is often used to say where you should put your thoughts and hopes and dreams and treasures. So much emphasis is put on making sure those are all based in heaven and looking for heavenly things.
The “For” in the last sentence is short for “therefore.” There is a long running “christianese” joke about when you see “therefore”, that’s usually what the passage is “there for”. If we use that, Jesus is making the point. That where your treasure is, there your heart is also. If you put all your stock into earth, that’s where your mind and heart will be. If you put all your stock in heaven, that is where your mind and heart will be.
Today, I noticed a slightly smaller lesson woven into this passage. If your heart is with your treasures in heaven, you may not have anything at all on earth. You certainly won’t be worried about anything on earth!
If you look a few verses after these verses in chapter 6, Jesus starts telling people not to worry about what they will eat or drink or wear because God knew exactly what they needed, and if they focused on God, he would provided everything they needed. These later verses just seem like a continuation of this secondary lesson in verses 19-21.
If you are focused on your earthly possessions, you are going to worry and fret over them, because they are all you have. If you put your heart and soul in the things of God and what he has for you, you will want more and more of that, and he will make sure your needs are covered!
By the way, I’m not saying you won’t lack things. Just because you follow God and set all your faith in him does not mean your life is perfect. On the contrary, Jesus himself was almost stoned because he said things people didn’t like, he told one disciple that he did not have a place to lay his head, and he said that people WILL say things against us. Heck, Jesus was beaten and killed, and his most of his closest disciples were also!!
You are not guaranteed and especially not entitled to a good life if you follow Christ. You also don’t need to worry about anything, because he thinks about it for you. I haven’t had to think about what I’m eating or drinking much on the Race because I’m always provided for, either through money and/or awesome hosts who cook for us. I do have to buy my food sometimes, but there is always money there for that. I don’t worry about clothes, and have even gotten rid of items I figured out I didn’t need.
When I put my treasure in heaven, where moths and rust do not destroy and thieves can’t talk my possessions, I have almost nothing on this earth. And that’s okay. When I absolutely need something, God puts it there for me, most of the time at the last second.
#GodIsInControl #redefiningdisciple
#THIRD
