Five Minute Friday - Treasure

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One word. Five minutes to write about it. This is the idea behind Five Minute Friday and this is today's free-writing post.

national treasure

treasure hunt

buried treasure

key to the treasure

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 When I saw today's prompt, of course I thought of well-known Scriptures like these:

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. ~Matthew 6:21

But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. ~II Corinthians 4:7

But I wasn't too sure what to say about them. Of course they are true and wise sayings, but what does it really look like to store up treasure in heaven? What exactly is the treasure we have in jars of clay? The verses just before and after explain:

For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God's glory displayed in the face of Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show us that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. ~II Corinthians 4:5-9

The treasure is the knowledge of God's glory revealed in Jesus Christ. We have that light in our chipped and cracked jars of clay - our lives. Clay jars are not where we would normally choose to keep a treasure, not if we wanted to secure it and keep it locked away. Clay isn't a suitable container for priceless gems that you'd expect to be in a beautiful jewelry chest. And that is the point. We are not supposed to keep it hidden, and we shouldn't be able to. We're not suitable vessels for God's glory, but that's what makes it so obvious that it's from God and not from us. And since the treasure is a light, the clay jar is really a lamp. The kind of common oil lamp found in even poor households during that time. But how valuable it was to have a little bit of light!

Paul also had some instructions for Timothy to pass along to the people of his church. Some practical advice on how to invest wisely for the future.

Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life. 

~I Timothy 6:17-19

No matter how much or how little earthly treasure we have, we shouldn't trust it to save us. Even if our bank accounts are small, we can be rich in good deeds and that light we have should inspire us to generosity with what we have to share. After all, light is generous!

I couldn't miss the chance to close with this - as a fan of so many pirate things. On my treasure hunt through Scripture this morning, I found the "key to the treasure".

LORD, be gracious to us; we long for you.

Be our strength every morning, 

our salvation in time of distress.

The LORD is exalted, for he dwells on high;

he will fill Zion with his justice and righteousness.

He will be the sure foundation for your times,

a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge;

the fear of the LORD is the key to this treasure.

~Isaiah 33:2, 5-6~

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This post is linked at Five Minute Friday for the word prompt "Treasure".

This post will also be linked at Scripture and a Snapshot hosted by Just A Second.

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