Treasures in Heaven
I’ve been thinking about treasures lately, of the heavenly sort…
For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them. Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you. “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. – Luke 12:30-34 (ESV)
The above passage was what our Bible study leaders challenged us to memorize after studying Luke 12:13-34 recently. During our discussion, a question about what heavenly and earthly treasures are came about, and while people threw some ideas around, there really was no solid biblical conclusion that the group agreed upon but I have been thinking about what and how to store heavenly treasures as a result. Coincidentally (divinely so), a pastor at the visiting church we attended the following Sunday, touched upon the very same subject! I was really excited and posted this to one of the leaders’ Facebook timeline in real-time (yes, during the sermon as a way to record my notes):
The sermon at the church we’re at today is talking about “treasures in heaven” from Matthew 6! Addressing earthly treasures (eg. Love of wealth, status, job, lifestyle, etc.) vs. heavenly treasures (treasures that have eternal value but pastor does mention Bible is not explicit about what heavenly treasures look like though compared God as our treasure, to use what’s/treasures on earth whether it’s money, job, etc. to glorify God)
Then, at our Bible study last week, we went through 1 Peter 2:1-11. Two verses stood out to me; one being verse five, which made me wonder if offering spiritual sacrifices is related to storing heavenly treasures:
you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
And the second verse that stood out? Verse 2:
Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation.
I can finally / actually relate how newborn infants long for pure milk!…especially in the first few days after birth. The colostrum that’s nourishes the infant is commonly known as “liquid gold” – implied that it’s filled with nutrients, but I wonder if it can be compared to the purity of liquid gold).
In high school Theology class, we were taught that in Heaven we are fully happy, but some are more fully happier than others…in the way that a thimble can be full of water and a bathtub can be full of water, but a bathtub has more water than a thimble does.
Thus when I think about the idea of accumulating “heavenly treasures”, I connect it to preparing ourselves to be deeper and fuller containers of God’s grace.