Where is Your Treasure?

I realized that the reason I haven't posted recently is because the things I've been processing lately have been difficult to put into words. God has revealed some things in my heart lately that I thought I had dealt with, and I'm ashamed to say, there's more work to be done.  Just another reminder that we are a work in progress, and the Lord is never finished molding us into his image.  The process of sanctification is just that; a process.

As I've mentioned before, our small group is going through the book "Radical" by David Platt.  This is one of those life changing books that accomplishes the equivalent of putting your life through the spin cycle of a washing machine.  Patrick and I have been looking at the Word of God with fresh perspective and the results are at once terrifying and liberating.  Some of the things Jesus calls us to do as his disciples are difficult.  At times they seem impossible were it not for the grace of God in our lives.

The story of the rich young ruler has really resonated with my spirit the last few weeks.  Here it is from Mark 10: 17-23:

"As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him.  'Good teacher," he asked, 'what must I do to inherit eternal life?'  
'Why do you call me good?' Jesus answered.  'No one is good--except God alone. You know the commandments: Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not defraud, honor your father and mother.'  
'Teacher,' he declared, 'all these I have kept since I was a boy.'
Jesus looked at him and loved him.  'One thing you lack,' he said.  'God, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.'
At this the man's face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.


Jesus calls us to some difficult things; things we'd like to pretend he doesn't ask us to do, like sell all that we have and give to the poor.  We like to rationalize away statements like that saying things like, "What Jesus really meant was..."  As Platt says, "And this is where we need to pause.  Because we are starting to redefine Christianity.  We are giving in to the dangerous temptation to take the Jesus of the Bible and twist him into a version of Jesus we are more comfortable with." (P.13)  Though we might not like what Christ says about what our lives should look like, if we are following him with total abandonment, we cannot ignore the difficult things he calls us to do.

Lately I've realized that the things of this world have a stronger hold on my heart than they should.  As many of you know, Patrick and I plan to go into full-time missions overseas within the next few years.  The other day Patrick mentioned having an estate sale to sell all our stuff before we move.  While I know that at some point we would give it all up as we enter the mission field, for the first time I really thought about selling all our possessions, and it was very telling of where my heart is right now.  I don't rejoice at the thought of giving everything up for the kingdom of God.  I really like my middle class American life, and I know it will be a struggle to move away from all that.

There is a part of the passage in Mark that we tend to overlook.  Jesus didn't tell the rich man to sell everything he has to give to the poor so he would be miserable the rest of his life.  Not at all!  Instead, Jesus tells him that he will have treasure in heaven.  I think it's safe to say that treasure in heaven is more than we can ever imagine or dream about on earth.  Jesus tells us to let go of our earthly things so he can bless us even more abundantly for eternity.  What he's basically saying is, "Let go of your pocket change so I can give you riches beyond your wildest dreams!"

What I've been praying for lately is that I would see Jesus himself as the treasure that he is, and how incredibly worthy he is for my obedience and sacrifice.  Because really, when I stop to think about it, giving up on worldly things isn't even a sacrifice when compared to the eternal reward that is ours when we surrender everything to Christ.  The life Christ calls us to live on earth might be difficult in the moment, but when we see obedience through the lens of eternity, our perspective shifts.  Rather than seeing it as Jesus asking us to give up the creature comforts we love so much, we will see it as Jesus calling us to something better than we could ever think to ask for.  I pray for this kind of perspective daily, and I pray that you would experience it too.