This is a brief series on every time Jesus said, “The kingdom of heaven is like…”

“The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure that a man discovered hidden in a field. In his excitement, he hid it again and sold everything he owned to get enough money to buy the field. “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant on the lookout for choice pearls. When he discovered a pearl of great value, he sold everything he owned and bought it!”

Matthew 13:44-46

Dear God, do I treat my faith like this? Do I treat it as if it is the most important thing in the world? Do I treat you like you are the most important thing in the world to me?

When I stop and consider what I have “sold” to attain you and this relationship with you–what I have given up–I can’t think of one thing that would have made my life better. If I were more selfish then I would have a bad marriage. If I pursued wealth then I would be selfish and shallow. If I pursued my own self gratifications and focused on satisfying every one of my own desires then I would be chasing something I would never catch.

So there is a reason that attaining the kingdom of heaven is worth everything I own. There is a payoff. It’s not foolishness. It is the greatest bargain I can make.

Father, help me to consciously make those same trade offs today. Help me to work as unto you. Help me to pray to you for those I love. Help me to take your presence into the world. And help me to rest in the knowledge that I don’t have to accomplish the things the world values, but I can rest in the knowledge that you are source of all good things.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen