Where is Your Treasure?
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 where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. – Matthew 6:19-21 NKJV.
On the front page of this morning’s newspaper (1999) was a photo of the charred remains of a couple’s dreams. Bill and Shirley Brunkhorst were building a triple deck excursion paddle boat called “The Eufaula Queen.” A spark from a welder’s torch destroyed their life savings along with the four years of effort spent in building the boat. There is no insurance to cover the damage. As most would be, the Brunkhorsts are emotional traumatized by their loss.
We have to admire the Brunkhorsts for their years of effort in pursuing their dream. They designed the boat themselves even without engineering degrees. What has happened to the Brunkhorsts often happens to earthly dreams. Many of you have experienced traumatic material losses as well. You have lost your jobs, businesses, or homes. One thing we know about the things here on Planet Earth: these things are temporary. A welder’s spark, a wrong turn, a momentary decision, can destroy our worldly dreams.
While we pursue our careers and build businesses let us not forget that earthly things are temporary. There is a finite amount of time for us to possess whatever we have here. Should we not be storing up treasures in Heaven as we walk along the highways of life? When we have spent 10,000 years in Heaven, these things we treasure now upon earth will have very little meaning to us.
(This devotional has been updated and was originally written and sent by email on 02.11.1999.)