For the last several weeks, the Bible study group at our church has been focusing on the theme "Where your treasure is..." based on the passage in Matthew 6. The teaching has been applied to our lives in both the physical and spiritual realms. In contrast to the unbeliever, the believer knows that the only lasting treasure is what awaits for us in Heaven, and the treasures of this earth are only fleeting. Well, these thoughts came to me today while trying to deal with financial difficulties, you know, trying to balance the budget, figuring out where each dollar has to come from. While worrying that things will not work out, that the cost of living is too high, the following words from Matthew 6 came to mind:
“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?
(Matthew 6:25-26 ESV)
Then I realized that I have nothing to worry about, if I am faithful, God will take care of us. And looking back I can see the hand of God carrying us through in the toughest of times, even those times when I wasn't always faithful to Him. But God has indeed promised that those who do seek after Him and His Kingdom, will not have to worry about what they will eat or what they wear. We've all read the well known verse:
But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
(Matthew 6:33 ESV)
When I think of those who wilfully reject God's promises and seek after worldly goods and riches, my heart weeps as they will not partake of the Heavenly riches. To me, that cost of living is just way too high. On the other hand, the price of following Jesus at any cost is never too high when compared to the unimaginable riches of eternal life with our Lord and Saviour.
