When I was
a child the anticipation of Christmas was palpable. Everything changed right
after Thanksgiving. Decorations came out of the closets that had been stored
away for ten and a half months and things just seemed a bit more exciting than
they had even the day before.
Christmas
was coming! To me Christmas meant the Sears Wish Book Catalog. Does that sound
sad? It probably does, it should.
Yes, I
grew up learning all the standard Christmas songs which included 'Away In the
Manger', 'Silent Night', 'O Come All Ye Faithful', 'Little Drummer Boy.' These songs told the tale of a baby, a very
special baby who was born on Christmas Day. However, I also grew up with songs
such as 'Santa Claus Is Coming to Town', 'Jingle Bells', 'Rudolph the Red-Nosed
Reindeer,' and so on and so forth. Being a child, and I think perhaps a typical
child, I focused on the Santa Claus is coming to town bit and the idea of
getting presents, lots of presents even if lots meant five or six, that was a
lot, plus there was that stocking stuffed with candy and toys as well. We
anticipated that toy catalog and we were allowed to pick out anything and
everything we wanted knowing all the while we weren't likely to get most of the
things, but even if we would get just one thing we were happy.
Christmas
and getting gifts, Christmas and all the fancy eating! The cookies, the candy,
the pies, coffee cakes, yes, this was what made Christmas special to me. Christmas and visiting relatives for more
candy, food, and favorite sodas. My lack of focus on the birth of Christ wasn't
my parents fault, they took us to church, they told us the importance of gift
giving, not just receiving, but my personal penchant towards selfishness kept
me more self-absorbed than self-less. My treasures were not in heaven, they
were wrapped in pretty paper and tied with fancy bows under the Christmas tree.
Gift
getting, treasure accumulation this was all a part of my life and my happiness.
I'm not proud of it at all, but it's the truth.
Putting my treasures in heaven didn't come easy and truthfully it is
something I think about even to this day.
I sit here
in my living room surrounded by my Christmas treasures- mostly lots of snowmen
that I've collected throughout the years, but many other things as well and I
know I'd be very sad to lose any of it. I have two china cabinets and only one
holds china, the other is my curio cabinet with more treasures I possess.
Again, treasures I wouldn't want to lose. I like to think if I lost all my
earthly treasures I'd be fine, and maybe I would be, I hope I would be, by the
grace of God I would be.
I'm
blessed beyond measure in the earthly treasure department, but I have to wonder
how my heavenly treasure storehouse fares. Treasures such as wisdom and
understanding- they are heavenly treasures that are distributed to us to use on
earth.
Col
2:2 That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love,
and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the
acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ;
Col
2:3 In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
All the
treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hid in the mystery of God, the Father and
Christ.
Treasures
of wisdom and knowledge. Today I would
circle these treasures were they offered in a catalog, but not as a child and
not as an adult for many years. Treasures of the heavenly, treasure greater
than precious gems.
Pro
16:16 How much better is it to get wisdom than gold! and to get
understanding rather to be chosen than silver!
Imagine…
wisdom better than gold! Understanding better than silver!
It truly
makes sense when we are told this…
Mat
6:19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust
doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
Mat
6:20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth
nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
Mat
6:21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
The only
treasures that cannot be taken from us, or destroyed in some manner are
heavenly treasures! Think about it for a moment. All our earthly treasures are
subject to being stolen. All our earthly treasures can be destroyed, few
treasures survive a fire as most people who live through house fires will tell
you. If we make people our treasures
they too can be taken from us, but our faith in our heavenly Father allows us
to comprehend that one day we may see our loved ones again - the great
resurrection day when Christ returns for us and the dead in Christ are raised
to meet Him in the air- we too will raise to meet the Lord in the air in that
day and we will see all those we loved who died in the love of Christ. Losing
the treasure of loved ones is a temporary loss because we place their safe
keeping with our Heavenly Father. They
become a treasure kept safe in the
heavenly promise of a future resurrection.
Listen to
these words of admonition-
Jas
5:1 Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall
come upon you.
Jas
5:2 Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten.
Jas
5:3 Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a
witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped
treasure together for the last days.
Obviously
earthly treasures are not to be desired, though because we live in a Satan
ruled world filled with his evil we are inclined towards earthly treasures. We
are inclined to believe we are successful when we have earthly treasures, the
more the better. We are inclined to believe we are successful when we can give
others earthly treasures. We are inclined to label ourselves and others a
success when we can enjoy the supposed good things life has to offer. Our bent
is towards earthly treasures and it starts at a very young age.
More on
all of this tomorrow by the grace of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!
May we
learn more of the heavenly treasure especially at a time we are inclined to
want to receive and even give earthly treasures.
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