My dearest sister,
Someone that I love very much passed away recently. It has been challenging for me and other family members to mourn our loss. Our loved one lost the war that was declared on her her by cancer after four and a half years. She fought valiantly but to no avail, other than the four years of life had she not entered into several battles against it with varying types of strategies and armament ( treatment plans and chemotherapy). Our loved one left this world as she came. In other words, as the world declares, she left with nothing! The beautiful clothes she wore, the lovely artifacts she acquired from around this world, the jewels given to her by others, her home and all of it’s contents could not go with her. Wow, it is quite a picture isn’t it?
Our heavenly Father tells us that although when we leave this world,we leave behind all earthly or tangible material, including our bodies we do not actually leave empty handed. If we are His children then we leave this world with a treasure chest of eternal valuables! Our hearts/souls live on after our bodies die. With that Truth in mind listen to this exciting word from our Lord Jesus:
“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth or rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be.” Matthew 6:19-21
Jesus compassionately warns us to invest in a treasure that is not of this world, but instead of he and his Father’s world. He warns us as well that earthly treasure (as lovely, costly and even as fond as they are to us) will not last. So not only can we not take our earthly treasures with us when we die but when left behind they eventually deteriorate, are destroyed and possibly stolen.
Jesus exhorts us to store up that which is treasure in our Father’s eyes!!!! Our greatest heart’s treasure is our LORD himself. If He abides in our hearts He will fill our hearts with treasures that will go with us when we leave this world. (Ephesians 1: 3-14 ~ please take the time to read!) Our hearts become a treasure chest filled with valuables that will live for eternity: love, peace, patience, kindness, wisdom, prudence….
These treasures within our hearts/souls cannot be stolen from us, they cannot be destroyed. They will be what we take to heaven with us. They will be the crowns which are given back to the One who gave them to us in the first place. Hallelujah!!
As I have pondered prosperity this month, this is the picture that comes to mind. Sweet sister, this is what I long for. That my heart would be filled with heavenly treasure given to me by the hand of God through His Spirit fashioned specifically for me by His Son the Lord Jesus that when I leave all of this world behind, and my soul flys away into My Father’s arms, my treasure chest will be full of incomparable glorious valuables to be cast at the throne of my Savior!!!! Oh how I long to prosper in this manner!
Your Sister,
Susan
“For what does it prosper a man, if he loses his own soul?”. Matthew 16:26