The Kingdom Of God- The Greatest Treasure

Is the Kingdom Of God something we take for granted? Or do we value God’s kingdom as the greatest treasure of all?

A Treasure Hidden In A Field

Matthew 13: 44-46 says,

“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.”

If we are raised in a Christian home in a country where we can freely attend church and obtain Christian literature, including the Bible, we can, sadly, become complacent. We may think it will always be this way, and it may be—at least during our lifetime.

And yet, if someone born in a nation where they are not free to worship the Lord openly discovers how much God loves them and all that Jesus did for them, they will have to count the cost before surrendering their life to Him. But many do so—gladly. They realize what a truly awesome gift salvation is.

But do we?

Do We Recognize The Kingdom Of God As A Treasure?

The two brief parables I read today from Matthew are worth meditating on.

Do we see God’s kingdom as a treasure or a pearl of great value? Would we even consider giving up all we have to pursue it?

My husband enjoys watching documentaries—and many of them are quests for treasure of one kind or another. These treasure hunters give up financial resources, time, energy, even their health and safety in search of what they’re looking for.

If we have ready access to the Bible, do we realize just what a treasure that is? Think about it for a few moments. The Scriptures are the Creator’s words to His creation. God’s Word is a love letter from our Father. There we find all the knowledge we will ever need to live as He desires—and more promises than most of us could memorize in a lifetime.

On top of that, many of us have access to thousands of commentaries and other written materials that help us understand God’s Word.

We Are Invited Into His Presence

What about prayer? We may faithfully “say our prayers,” but do we really understand that the Lord invites us into His very presence? We can commune with Him anytime, anywhere.

Plus, He calls us apart, into our prayer closets, so we can focus exclusively on Him. And over the course of time, we come to recognize that He actually hears and answers our prayers. Think of it: The God of the universe takes time to be involved in our individual lives. Mind-boggling!

We Are Members Of The Body Of Christ

And what about fellowship with other believers? Each of us has something to offer. And each of us needs the other members of God’s family. No matter how independent and seemingly self-sufficient we are, as Christians, we are members of the body of Christ. Every body part needs the others to function properly and achieve all we are to accomplish.

These are just three components of the kingdom of God, but wow, are they important! And they definitely constitute great treasure.

Setting An Example For Our Children

What do our children see? Do they know we regularly dig into God’s Word? Do we do so alone? With our spouse? And together as a family?

Do we take the time to learn what it means and how it applies to our day-to-day life or do we simply rush through our devotion time in order to check it off our To Do list? Do we even make it a regular part of our day?

Pray Without Ceasing

Do we “pray without ceasing,” as it says in 1 Thessalonians 5:17? When we first wake up, do we commit our day to the Lord? Do we take the time to pray with our children, even briefly, before they head off into their day? Do we keep a running dialogue going with the Lord throughout the day? As we travel? When we’re at work? When we’re busy doing chores around the house? When we’re in the slowest line at the grocery store and have somewhere else to be? When we hit every red light on our way home? When we’re cut off by a careless driver? When we get home from work and have to prepare to do it all over again?

It’s important to focus on the Lord and talk to Him throughout the day as we go about our routine. But it’s also important to set aside that one-on-one time to tuck ourselves away in what some people call their prayer closet. It could be a special place in our home or at a local park, wherever we  can focus exclusively on God and bring our praise, thanksgiving, and requests to Him.

Fellowship With Others

And what about fellowship with other believers? Do we look forward to it? Do we thrive on spending time with our church family and other Christians? Do we look for opportunities to serve one another and give freely of our time and talents? Do we recognize our responsibility to do so? Do we recognize how much we need the other members of Christ’s body?

The Kingdom of God Is The Greatest Treasure

The kingdom of God isn’t only living with Him in heaven after we die; it’s right here and now. Do we see it as a great treasure, the greatest treasure of all? Are we teaching this truth to our children? Together, are we making it known to those whose paths cross ours?

Let’s begin to see God’s kingdom for what it truly is: the greatest treasure of all, one that is worth everything we have—and then some.

How do you try to serve for the glory of God and His kingdom? Contact us at HopeStreamRadio,  or comment below.