The Greatest Treasure

"Keep your treasures on the open palm of your hand.  If you hold something tight clenched in your fist, God may have to hurt you in order to open your fingers and take it from you.  but if it is offered on the open palm of your hand, you will hardly know when it is gone." Alice MacFarlane, quoted by Isobel Kuhn in her book,  "In The Arena," page 97.

God desires to strip us of every worldly thing that we might have Him.  It is not until we have relinquished our rights and possessions, even the possession of ourselves, before we will desire Him as we ought.  He will never give us what we do not desire to receive.  God does not force peace, forgiveness, and reconciliation with God upon men.  He gives these things and more to those who seek Him with a whole heart in faith.  As long as we dote upon earthly treasure, we will never recognize that God Himself is the greatest treasure.

How content are men to brood in greedy envy over perishable trifles while God, the most wonderful Being in the universe, remains available but unsought.  The few who have found Him are often small in the eyes of the world.  If you have encountered God, that is an occasion you will never forget.  It will forever shape your focus while on earth and be a driving force behind your heavenly pursuits.  Moses met God on Mt. Sinai, Saul on the road to Damascus, and the disciples on the road of Emmaus.  When Christ opens our eyes to see Him in truth, we cannot help but run and tell what we have seen and heard.

Allow me to use a Bible passage as a parable:  2 Chron. 9:1-8 reads, "Now when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon, she came to Jerusalem to test Solomon with hard questions, having a very great retinue, camels that bore spices, gold in abundance, and precious stones; and when she came to Solomon, she spoke with him about all that was in her heart. [2] So Solomon answered all her questions; there was nothing so difficult for Solomon that he could not explain it to her. [3] And when the queen of Sheba had seen the wisdom of Solomon, the house that he had built, [4] the food on his table, the seating of his servants, the service of his waiters and their apparel, his cupbearers and their apparel, and his entryway by which he went up to the house of the Lord, there was no more spirit in her. [5] Then she said to the king: "It was a true report which I heard in my own land about your words and your wisdom. [6] However I did not believe their words until I came and saw with my own eyes; and indeed the half of the greatness of your wisdom was not told me. You exceed the fame of which I heard. [7] Happy are your men and happy are these your servants, who stand continually before you and hear your wisdom! [8] Blessed be the Lord your God, who delighted in you, setting you on His throne to be king for the Lord your God! Because your God has loved Israel, to establish them forever, therefore He made you king over them, to do justice and righteousness."

Read this passage again with Solomon representing Christ, the servants as His followers, and the Queen of Sheba is one who seeks Christ.  The Queen of Sheba heard of the great wisdom and works of Solomon, but she did not believe until she experienced them firsthand.  There was no question too difficult, no problem too great as she communed with him.  As she saw the wealth, beauty, and prosperity of Solomon's kingdom, the queen of Sheba was breathless.  It is not until we taste and see that we recognize the LORD is good, and blessed are the people whose God is the LORD.  When we read of God's wonders and faithfulness in books written by believers and the great testimonies of those who KNOW God, when we meet Him for ourselves it far exceeds what we could have imagined.  Take time to consider the depths of this insightful allegory.

If you read on in 2 Chronicles 9, you will read that Sheba brought many gifts to King Solomon:  gold in abundance, spices, and precious stones.  But though she brought so much, she left with more than she came with, for King Solomon was not only wealthy but generous.  He gave her whatever she desired.  When we are filled with the Holy Spirit, God will grant us the desires of our heart because our desires have become His own.  Whatever gifts of praise and obedience we bring to God we are richer for it, not poorer.  Christ exhorts us to store up for ourselves treasures in heaven.  He is the only treasure we need not hold on an open palm, but hold Him close in our hearts.  The world will see this and marvel, and in this God is glorified.  He gives great gifts to men, and He is the greatest treasure of all.