Treasure

       This past weekend I had a moving sale, (a yard sale with lots of furniture).... I had been preparing for weeks, going through cupboards, drawers, closets and basement.......so much......stuff! We have been in this home for 20 years and I was married almost 31 years ago so it is incredible to me how we let ourselves gather and keep so much. Quite a bit got thrown out and I still have a mountain of junk in my backyard and basement to have picked up. I was so overwhelmed, but determined to "lighten" my load. The night before the sale the weather said, rain, rain and more rain. I went to my room dropped on my bed and prayed for the Lord's favor. The day arrived and it looked cloudy but before I knew it, the clouds parted and it was sunny all day without a drop of rain. I sold quite a bit too. I had antiques, bookcases galore, tables, chairs, etc.....    At one time this "stuff" had a value to me  but now it was worthless. My friends would price things and I would sell it for less. I just wanted to see it all gone. People came and I sold for almost nothing what had once been important to me. I was told over and over that I was underselling but I just didn't care. I am selling my 4 bedroom house with finished basement to live in a 2 bedroom apartment so most of it has to go. After the sale I gave the rest to a ministry for refugees. It felt so good to not bring anything back into the house.
        I write all this to make a point......what is treasure?.......what is your treasure? To me, relationship holds the key. My relationship with the Lord is my most treasured possession. Matthew 13:44,45  Without Him I have nothing and am nothing. He gives me life, love, peace, joy and purpose. I want to simplify my life so I can give myself to relationship with Him and those around me. Since losing my husband, I see the brevity of life here and I see how John laid his life down for me, the children and the church without a thought for himself. How great a teacher he was to me. He showed me how to love and how to live. And now he is experiencing by God's grace the abounding treasure in heaven where moth and rust cannot decay. No yard sales there.....no need for one.....
       "And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a beautiful bride prepared for her husband. I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, 'Look the home of God is now among His people! He will live with them, and they will be His people. God Himself will be with them'." 
                                          Revelation 21:2,3
       Nothing mentioned here about worldly possessions, only God possessing us and we Him. To end I will share a vivid dream I had. In the dream I was dying and I knew it but I was not afraid. So I closed my eyes and felt myself floating upwards with great speed. I came to a very bright place, almost blinding. Then I saw a fire ball as bright as the sun rush at me. When upon me I realized it was a person for they grabbed me, lifted me up and swung me around and hugged me tight. I awoke in the dream to those around me and declared that it was John. The next morning I was at the Sunday meeting and silently asked the Lord if it was true when all of a sudden my eyes fell immediately on this verse...
      "And the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father" Matthew 13:43
    I was stunned and in awe and reverence at His great mercy to me. Oh what treasure we have!! The love of our great Father, His Son and His Holy Spirit......and this treasure lives in us!! Oh, how much richer we are then the wealthiest men on earth!.....
                                   Let go of the "stuff" and hold onto your God.......

Knowing...

         This past weekend the church I am in fellowship with planned a block party. The building is in the inner city and so much goes into planning. Food, activities, music, presentations etc......  Well the promised sunshine did not come and it rained the whole time. I was to do the face-painting (my favorite thing to do...) but as you know, that did not happen. It was not only rainy but very cold. So Sunday a weary group of believers came together to worship and hear the Word of the Lord. As they asked different ones to come up and share testimonies, one spoke very clearly to my heart. He shared that of course there was disappointment about the weather yet the Lord may have wanted us to learn something. Because of the storm there were rough moments with an occasional impatient reaction or a job that may have been easy becoming a chore and hard jobs becoming unbearable. We were cold and wet and trying to remain positive. The scripture he read was....
                 "My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.."   James 1:2,3
         The bible I carry was my husbands and he had underlined the word, knowing. It jumped out at me....how important is the "knowing" in a trial. What keeps us going when things don't work out as planned or desired. I can say that the "knowing" is what has kept me going. Knowing the Lord loves me, knowing that He has plans beyond what I can see, knowing that He desires to make me like Christ, knowing He will never leave me or forsake me, knowing that there is so much more to life than the moment, knowing.........
         What will make us endure is not a trouble free life but one that is grounded in faith, in knowing our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ intimately and thus being at peace in the midst of the storms. My husband was wise to underline that word.....I can say that he understood its importance. Very little really riled my husband to a frazzle, he remained constant and sure of His Lord's love even in the hardest trials we faced. And now I feel the same assurance.........even as I face my widowhood, I know my Redeemer lives and that He lives to bring me to Himself through all circumstances and trials. Knowing brings patience and patience brings perfection, a Christlike nature and I believe that is His first objective...
       I am rest in His arms knowing.......................