Where Do You Store Your Treasure?

As we glided through the dimly lit passages of this pirate-themed adventure, I felt the cool water lightly splashing on my arms as our barge swayed from side to side. The familiar, musty scent of an artificial breeze, designed to create an outdoor ambiance, wafted past my face, bringing back memories of past rides on this trackless, driver-less vessel. I had experienced this journey as a child with my family, as a teenager with friends, and as a young man with my girlfriend and later my wife. And now, here I was again, seated beside my five-year-old son Levi, eager to see his excitement and anticipation for what was to come.

As the ride progressed, I found myself also filled with anticipation, even though I knew what lay ahead. Or so I thought.

As I sat there, taking in the scene before me, I realized that this ride, this Disney attraction that I had enjoyed so many times before, was not just a fun adventure, but a sobering reminder of the fleeting nature of earthly riches. This was not a treasure vault, but a resting place, a graveyard of sorts. The magnificent pile of treasure that surrounded us was nothing more than an illusion, a facade to distract from the true purpose of this room. And sitting atop that pile, in a slumped and sad-looking position, was the remains of the one who had accumulated all this wealth. A skeleton of a once-rich man who had saved every bit of his fortune, now reduced to nothing more than bones atop a pile of earthly treasure. It was a stark reminder that no matter how much wealth and material possessions we accumulate in this life, in the end, it’s all vanity.

As I reflected on this scene, I realized that it was a perfect illustration of the futility of storing up wealth on earth. The treasures that we accumulate in this life are nothing but an illusion, a resting place for our mortal remains. This rich man had saved and hoarded all of his earthly wealth, but in the end, he could take none of it with him. Not one of those coins could follow him into eternity.

It was a sobering reminder that the things we often value most in this life are ultimately meaningless in the grand scheme of things. Our possessions, our wealth, and our status are all fleeting and temporary. What really matters is how we live our lives and the impact that we have on others.

As the barge moved on, I couldn’t help but feel grateful for the reminder to focus on what really matters in life. To love and serve others, to seek after the things of God, and to live with an eternal perspective. Because in the end, that’s all that really matters.

“,for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world.”

1 Tim 6:7

Indeed, what a tragedy it is to amass wealth in this fleeting life, only to leave it all behind when we pass on to the next. Instead, God calls us to invest in a treasure that will never fade or decay, a treasure that is eternal and secure in heaven. We are called to store up treasures in heaven, where moth and rust cannot destroy and where thieves cannot break in and steal.

So let us not be like the rich man in the Pirates of the Caribbean ride, who stored up earthly treasures only to be left with nothing but a pile of bones in the end. Let us heed the call of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and invest in the kingdom of God. For where our treasure is, there our heart will be also.

“…lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.”

Matt 6:20

There are no U-Hauls in a funeral procession. So why store up treasures for ourselves here on earth? God promises us that every cent we give back to Him in this life will be stored up for us as a reward in heaven, multiplied ten thousand times over, kept safe and secure to be enjoyed throughout all eternity with Him in His kingdom. Because of what Jesus Christ has done, believers will spend eternity enjoying the abundance of His wealth in heaven with God, with Jesus who is God over all, blessed forever.

What a spectacular deal! We do nothing, He does everything, and we benefit exponentially with Him forever and ever! Hallelujah!

Christians, our giving matters. What we do with our wealth here on earth matters! How we use our wealth is very telling of what or who we love.

mike

P.s. The next few posts will hopefully be spent in expanding on this idea of storing our wealth in heaven.