Matthew 6:19-21 NIV, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
I can remember my days as a younger Christian, I spent most of my time focusing on earthly things. My greatest hopes were placed in the things I thought this life could bring me, such as getting married one day, eventually having kids, getting a degree, getting a job, and being able to buy what I wanted. These things were my top priorities. Eternity in heaven was far from my mind. Heaven was just this nice place far away where God lived and Christians got to go when they die. And trust me, I was hoping I would not die until I was able to achieve some of the earthly things I wanted because they were more important to me than knowing God.
However, when you’re younger, you don’t always realize nothing in this life is guaranteed, marriages sometimes end in divorce, you may not have children at all, school is beneficial but often creates massive amounts of debt, monthly bills may prohibit you from having a lot of extra money to spend and jobs come and go, often unexpectedly. Life has many ups and downs so we must handle it with care.
As I reflect on my years of knowing Jesus, I can now see that the more emphasis I placed on the things of this world, the less attention I paid to heavenly things. Keeping our focus on heaven while living our lives here on Earth does not come naturally. It is something that is cultivated as we grow in relationship and intimacy with our Lord Jesus Christ. And He is the One who carries us through the various seasons of life.
James 4:14 NIV– “Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.”
Since life is short here on Earth, our main focus should be to seek God first, and He will give us all we need to live our lives for His glory. This way of living is quite different from how the world tells us to live our lives. The world encourages us to go after what we want, not what God wants for us. The world teaches us to make more money so we can be self-sufficient, not to trust God to provide our needs. The world tells us to trust its systems, ourselves and people, not the all wise God. The world pushes us to live by sight, not by faith, in the God who is always faithful.
Matthew 6:33 NLT, “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.”
Fellowshiping with God daily, spending time in His Word and prayer, plus receiving encouragement from other Christians who are diligently seeking Him too, will keep us rooted in the things that matter most, things that will store up treasures in heaven. Of course all worldly pursuits are not bad, but pursuing worldly endeavors that God never called us to pursue, will not lead to His best for us. We have to be intentional about the choices we make, so that we can make the most of our days.
Ephesians 5:15-16 NLT, “So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days.”
Putting Christ first will most likely not lead to all the material things that the world calls success, but putting Him first will lead to blessings that far surpass anything this world could ever offer both now and in eternity. There is nothing that compares to experiencing God’s goodness and mercy all the days of your life, experiencing His peace and joy, even during life’s storms, experiencing the security of His provision and protection, and experiencing the assurance of His presence being with you wherever you go.
I pray God’s faithful love and truth will always be your guide.
Romans 14:17 NLT, “For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.”
