Monday Morning Devotion-May27, 2019

The Treasure Hunt

He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge.  The fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure.    Isaiah 33:6

            A treasure is something of great value.  So, a treasure hunt is an important endeavor because a person is trying to find something special.  It could be something of great worth in a monetary sense, maybe the treasure has sentimental value.  The treasure being sought could be an object, a person or a direction.

            Actually, each new day is a treasure hunt for us.  Sarah Young writes in Jesus Calling:

"Approach each new day with desire to find me.  Before you get out of bed, I have already been working to prepare the path that will get you through this day.  There are hidden treasures strategically placed along the way."

            How cool is that?  Even while we are sleeping the Lord is working on our behalf.  He knows what our landscape will look like even before we wake up.  He has a plan.  It may not turn out to be what we expected.  How many times is that the case? 

            Does any single day turn out just like you expected it to?  Probably not.  There are what we consider good days and bad days.  Honestly, no day is completely good or entirely bad.  That's why it is good to focus on and search for those "treasures that are strategically placed along the way."

            Here's something to keep in mind on your daily treasure hunt.  Continuing from Jesus Calling: "Some of the treasures are trials, designed to shake you free from earth-shackles."

            So sometimes, when things are not working out the way we expected or wanted them to they may actually be treasures in disguise.  Due to conflicts you may not get to take the trip you wanted to take, then something better comes along.  Maybe you don't get a job you are seeking and down the line that company lays off the people in that position and others.  Perhaps, you don't get a book published by a company you are seeking but later a better opportunity comes along.

            If you pause and think back you can probably recall numerous times in your life when you were disappointed, but then something better came out of it.  Maybe we don't think of these happenings as the blessings in disguise that they really are.  They are the hidden treasures that are found in your daily treasure hunt.

            As Isaiah wrote the key to these treasures is "the fear of the Lord."  That is a statement you see frequently in scripture.  It is often misconstrued.  It doesn't mean that we must tiptoe through life as if walking on egg shells.  We can't be so afraid that we are going to anger God that we miss the earthly and future heavenly treasures that He has for us.

            Here's what Pope Francis wrote about this: "The fear of the Lord, the gift of the Holy Spirit, doesn't mean being afraid of God, since we know that God is our Father that He always loves and forgives…it is no servile fear, but rather a joyful awareness of God's grandeur and a grateful realization that only in Him do our hearts find true peace."

            Robert B. Strimple, former President and Professor of Westminster Theological Seminary (Toronto), writing from a theological perspective says that "fear of the Lord" encompasses more than simple fear.  "There is the convergence of awe, reverence, adoration, honor, worship, confidence, thankfulness, love and yes, fear."

            In fact, some translations of the Bible, like the New International Version, sometimes replace the word "fear" with "reverence."  According to Author/Pastor Jerry Bridges: "There was a time when committed Christians were known as God-fearing people.  This was a badge of honor."

            When seeking daily treasures, we don't have to go far.  Sunshine, flowers, birds, friendships, and answered prayers are just a few that Sarah Young mentions.  But, the Lord has special treasures for each of us that we can seek out each day.  Many of these can be shared with others.  Some are meant for us exclusively.

            In fact, there are 77 Bible verses about Treasure.  That shows how important these treasures are that a Loving God has in store for us.

            It is important to hunt for these treasures each day: "For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."  Luke 12:34

            "In the movie Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade Jones (played by Harrison Ford) embarked on a perilous crusade to find the Holy Grail.  His crusade to find this treasure consisted of narrow escapes from rats, fire, gunmen, and a ship's propeller and it is only by the skin of his teeth that he finally uncovers the location of the Holy Grail."  (The Christian Broadcasting, Inc.)

            Jones was willing to risk his life to find this treasure.  We don't have to go that far to uncover the hidden treasures that God has for us each day.  Our Bibles aren't locked away in a vault and in them you will find the key to many hidden treasures.

            Reading further along in Isaiah (45:3): "And I will give you treasures hidden in the darkness---secret riches, I will do this so you may know that I am the Lord, The God of Israel, the one who calls you by name."

            It is important to search for those treasures and to realize they might not all be obvious or visible in broad daylight.  Some may come to you in darkness or at night.

            And as Sarah Young concludes it is important to; "Search for deep treasure as you go through each day (for Jesus says) You will find me all along the way."

            Now that is a treasure worth hunting.

Prayer:  Treasure hunting will take on a new meaning as we search for those life changing treasures, that you have in store for us, Lord.  Thank you.   Amen!