JESUS SPEAKING
“Again, the kingdom of God is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it” (Mathew 13: 45-46.)
INSPIRED THOUGHTS
The message of “The kingdom of God,” is priceless; it is a treasure more valuable than gold and silver, and more precious than diamonds. For contained within it is the love of God and the gift of eternal life. As Jesus preached the message, a fortunate few recognized the truth and were willing to trade in everything they possessed to receive the Lord’s everlasting gift. Many who came to believe willingly sacrificed great wealth, time, relationships, homes, and positions of prestige within the community, in order to take hold of the true riches of God’s everlasting kingdom. As believers, we too are called to let go of the world in order to fully embrace Christianity.
Interestingly enough, some people make a living letting go of one thing so they can grab hold of another. Trapeze performers for example, swing effortlessly back and forth, high above cold concrete floors. For these men and women, timing and precision can mean the difference between living and dying. The individual who risks their life to spin through the air must know when to let go of their swing and when to grab hold of their partner dangling from the opposite swing. So too, the gospel is a message about ‘letting go’ and ‘grabbing hold;’ no one can ‘grab hold’ of the Kingdom of God unless they fist ‘let go’ of whatever they are clinging too in this world. For the believer, the pursuit of empty rewards must end, and the pursuit of Godly rewards must begin.
Sadly, during the Lord’s public ministry, thousands simply passed by Him as He spoke; they chose to cling to their own lives rather than to grab hold of God and the life He was offering them. Today, the Lord is still speaking; His message is still being proclaimed throughout the world. And yes, even today many still choose the temporary pleasures of this life over the eternal peace of God. They refuse because the Christian life is not easy. There are many trials and hardships that accompany genuine faith. Self-sacrifice and self-denial aren’t always popular, but they are necessary. May we all choose to let go of our selfish pursuits. May we loosen our grasp on the things of this world and grab hold of and embrace the free gift of God.
“Lord Heavenly Father, we come before You and we ask that You give us the strength to avoid selfish pursuits; we long to serve others, and to sacrifice our lives to accomplish Your desires. May we receive your kingdom with gladness, and may we let go of anything that is hindering us from completely submitting to Your perfect will. We love You Father, we praise You, and we thank You, and we ask and pray all of these things, according to Your will, in Jesus Christ’s name we pray, amen.” God bless all of you!
Jesus Speaks 