“‘Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.'” Matt 6:19-21 (NIV)
How much of what you are currently doing will impact eternity? How much of what you are currently acquiring will go with you to heaven? There’s more to this life than what you see. There’s more to this life than the material and temporal.
Jesus gives such a practical teaching on living for eternity. Jesus points us to the reality of the afterlife in heaven. Our tendency is to place the emphasis on our lives on planet earth. Jesus shows us that we are to live our lives with eternity in mind.
Where is your heart? That’s where your treasure is. Yes, it is a matter of the heart. Jesus wants us to focus our lives on living in light of eternity. Instead of storing up treasures on earth, we are to store up treasures in heaven. So how do you store up treasures in heaven? You store up treasures by investing in that which makes an eternal difference. For example, when you give financially through the local church, you are storing up treasure in heaven. When you share the plan of salvation with a lost person and lead them to embrace Jesus as Savior and Lord, you are storing up treasures in heaven. When you pray for our missionaries around the world, you are participating in their ministry through prayer and storing up treasures in heaven. When you give, pray, fast, and forgive, you store up treasure in heaven.
Are you consumed with life on this planet? Would you be willing to focus your life and your resources in order to advance the Kingdom of God? Heaven has plenty of room for the treasures you are storing up.
Let’s get personal. How much of your energy is expended on things that have no eternal value?
Pursuing God,
Stephen Trammell
Pastor of Leadership and Pastoral Care