Matthew 6:19-21 Treasures in Heaven

Dad's Daily Devotionals (DDD) 2023.02.02 Matthew 6:19-21 Treasures in Heaven In Matthew 6:19-21, Jesus tells us about the kind of treasures to look for: “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." What are some of the treasures we spend our time, attention, and money on? I'm going to go through a lot, very quickly. If we like technology stuff, one of our treasures is smartphones. A lot of us can't get rid of our brand new smartphones fast enough so we can get an even newer, better one with a better camera, a better screen, longer-lasting battery, faster charging, more weather resistant. Laptops that are faster, lighter, with brighter screens that have more pixels. Wireless earphones that block noise even better and sound even better while weighing less and with batteries that last longer. Bigger and thinner and lighter TVs with more resolution, better image quality. Most of these high-tech devices will become useless. Moths or rats don't have to do anything to them. We'll just throw them out in a few years and get new ones. If we like sports, we're looking at the latest running shoes that are lighter, more comfortable, and let you run faster. Hiking boots that are more durable, more waterproof, more breathable, more comfortable. Golf clubs that let you hit farther and more accurately. Tennis rackets that are lighter, more forgiving, so you can hit harder and play better. Moths and rats can rest, because we'll trash them or get bored of them and in no time will be looking for new ones. If we like to take videos and photos, we're looking at new cameras with the latest technologies that will make your photos look even better, lenses that are sharper and faster, tripods that are lighter but more durable, camera bags that are even more comfortable and let you take your camera gear and take them out easily. Again, moths and rats don't have to do anything here: as soon as we get the latest and greatest we will soon be drooling over the newest ones with even more technology. And so on and so forth. A lot of us don't like getting stuff that last a long time, because we get bored and we like shopping. We like getting new stuff. We work hard. We work most of the day. Then we spend all that money on the latest and greatest stuff. We get bored of them. Trade them in, donate them, throw them out, and get new ones. Jesus tells us to get off this rat race. Instead, Jesus tells us to get on a new path where we store treasures that do not get old, do not become useless, will be valuable forever. And they won't ever be stolen. What are these "treasures in heaven"? Some say these heavenly treasures are our characters that are formed by good works and rich faith. Others point to our hearts that are being transformed by the Holy Spirit as we yield our will to the Father's will, all enabled by the saving work of Jesus, who died on the cross to pay the price for our sins. The more our hearts are transformed to the likeness of Jesus, the more valuable this heavenly treasure will be. And yet others point to a heart that generously gives to those who are in need so that the Lord will make use of what we share to bring about the kingdom of heaven on earth and for the Lord's honor and glory. And in turn our hearts become less stingy and more generous, less selfish and more selfless. That is our heavenly treasure: a transformed heart that resembles the heart of Jesus. #Jesus #TreasuresInHeaven #Matthew6 #Matthew #GospelOfJesus #GospelOfMatthew