Lusting after Heaven
Matthew 13:44-46
44. "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. 45. "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, 46. who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.
I don’t know about you, but I spend a lot of my time running around looking for the things that are going to satisfy me. Searching for the next best thing that is going to make life better, easier, happier. And don’t get me started on all the commercials on television! It seems as if every one of them now tells us that we not only deserve instant gratification of our all of our needs, we should demand nothing less! Because after, all. . . It’s all about us! Right!? We work hard. We play hard. We should have rewards for our labor. We should be able to take a pill to lose weight – who has time to wait for exercise and a proper diet to take their effect? We should have the nicest car manufactured – with GPS and surround sound stereo, heated/cooled seats, and all the adornments to let the world know, “I’ve ‘made it.’” I won’t belabor my point. I think you get it.
What Christ told his listeners is that there is something more, something better. And when we find it, we’ll know! We’ll be willing to sacrifice everything for it!
Everything!! It’s not a car. It’s not a house. It’s not a boat. It’s not a better job, or a vacation home. It’s better than the finest wine you’ve ever tasted, or the most tender, rare steak you’ve every enjoyed. It’s better than anything.
Anything! And it is freely, graciously, readily available to us. Anytime we want it! At no cost! The price has already been paid. There’s no fine print! No disclaimers hidden in the 27th paragraph on page 14. Free! No strings attached! Well . . . there is one! We must believe – and desire it more than anything else in our lives.
In the time of Christ’s life on earth, they didn’t have banks with safe deposit boxes, so it was common practice for people to hide their valuable in clay pots in the ground, and mark the spot with landmark so they could find it when they wanted to retrieve it. When you taste heaven, you will desire nothing else as much! When you feel the breath of God blowing through your life, you will desire no other feeling. When you devote your life to Christ, and His message, nothing else you say or think or do will matter. Only Jesus. Only Jesus.
You may think that just sounds preposterous! But think about it. . . If I treat everyone in my life—my family, my friends, strangers on the street, my co-workers, my neighbors, and everyone else—as Christ commanded don’t you think I’m going to get back what I give? Don’t you think my entire life will be in order, and will be exactly as it should be, if I follow the teachings of Jesus and search for the Kingdom? Oh, I may have health problems, I may not have as much money as I would like. I may not live in the neighborhood I want to live in, and my kids aren’t perfect. My husband . . . he’s pretty close, but no cigar!
Once you approach the kingdom of heaven, nothing else matters. And everything changes. Because at that point, God is in charge. And from what I have gleaned, He does a much better job than I could possibly attempt! Long for the Kingdom. You will desire nothing else. You will need nothing else. Your life will be filled to overflowing. And your future will be established.
My prayer today is that you lust after heaven. And that everything you do and say today moves you one step closer to those “pearly gates.”
Mary
