Hidden Treasures

Matthew 13:44 – “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.”

What a treasure we have in the Gospel of our Savior! Nothing is more precious than the gift of salvation. How could one put a value on the death of Jesus on the cross and the resulting forgiveness of our sins? What glorious news to the convicted sinner, that One has paid the price for our redemption!

Like the “treasure hid in a field,” for years, the truth of the Gospel was hidden from us. Sin and Satan blinded our eyes. But then the glorious light of the Gospel did shine in our hearts and our eyes were opened. What a difference conviction makes. We sometimes look back with regret and shame to the days before we were saved. We did not value the things of God. In ignorance and pride, we lived without His fellowship and friendship. We had no time for His Word or worship and no interest in His will. How foolish and thoughtless we were. Days were spent on selfish ambition and senseless pursuits. Then the Gospel came to soften our hard hearts. Suddenly things began to change. Salvation was not something to be postponed or ridiculed. God was no longer an intruder into our lives, but a welcomed Deliverer. We found ourselves in reach of the greatest treasure of all, the kingdom of Heaven. The plans and ambitions that we previously valued seemed worthless in comparison to His spiritual blessings

It is unfortunate that the gifts of God are not always viewed as treasures. God loves us so much and His gifts are so gracious. Sometimes we get so busy that we fail to notice or appreciate the things that should matter most. Then, familiarity can result in a lack of fondness. It should not be this way, but it is possible that the treasures of God can be taken for granted. Like the disciples who were sometimes guilty of sleeping at critical moments, professing Christians become complacent toward the sweetness of the Spirit’s presence. Like the members of the Laodicean congregation, full of material blessings, we forget how much we need Him. May we be reminded today of the great treasure there is in the Gospel and the eternal gift of salvation, and may our love and devotion reflect our appreciation.