WHAT IS THE MOST PRECIOUS THING?
Greetings in the name of Jesus:
Each one of the parables of Jesus speaks to a different aspect of the very same subject in our human condition. This reference only takes two verses in Matthew 13:45-46 and yet so much is said about the type of seeking after God we need to have in order to really find peace and a sense of God's presence within us. I believe that many have come to the point that they feel their relationship with God is automatic in that once they become family ( in a sense) with God there is no more that needs to be done. A relationship with anyone is built upon a continuous effort on the part of both people involved to stay in contact and continue to develop that relationship.
I can say right here that I am very bad with that personally...especially with family and friends who I would otherwise be very close to. I don't even speak to my children much, and while they have contact with one another and a normal kind of communication ( Thank God) I remain a distant thought to them because I don't constantly try to stay in touch. As I grew up my whole family was always that way, and it really hurt our relationships. I am so thankful that I have gotten past that with my Heavenly Father and we speak all the time...what a difference that makes in my relationship with God, and I am convicted in my heart again that I don't do that with the rest of my family.
My real point in all of this is to say we have to work at having a relationship with God to the point that we begin to realize just how precious that contact is with Him to us. I had asked the question to people this last Sunday morning ; in order to put God first in your life what would you have to rearrange in your life? We are all very guilty in some way of placing something ahead of God...perhaps without even thinking about it. It does not have to be sinful pleasures that get in the way of your communication and relationship with God...it can be things that you feel are healthy to do or be a part of . It can be your love and concern for children, or your spouse; your mom or dad...any number of things that tend to take your time away from God. I am not talking about spending hours meditating or praying , but I am talking about spending some time everyday with your Heavenly Father.
In this parable of the merchant who is in search of the most perfect pearl; when he found it he went and sold everything that he had to purchase that pearl. He wanted to make sure that it was his alone. I want for you to note that he didn't go take out a loan so that there would be a lean on the ownership of the pearl...he went and sold everything that he needed to sell to get the full price of the pearl; and then he paid that price to have it for his own. That is as complete an ownership as can be had in this life.
It is that thought that Jesus wanted to express in this parable about the value of the Kingdom of Heaven to us. We should not only be influenced into the Kingdom, or even be completely convinced the Kingdom is real to us; but we need to be completely invested into the Kingdom of Heaven. I liken that to a man who is standing balanced on a pole...as long as he does not loose that balance he can stand on that pole indefinitely. If something like wind comes along to blow one direction or another the man has to adjust his balance by pushing or leaning in the opposite direction until that influence has ended. If the man is off balance he can only be so for a certain degree until he can no longer recover his balance and will definitely fall from his balanced position on the pole. God is telling us that our influence toward the Kingdom of heaven is not just believing in it, but being influenced so much that our balance is tipped toward God so much that we no longer have the ability to keep from falling into God's arms.
The Apostles were also in that free fall into the arms of God when they were saying things like " We cannot help but to speak the things we have seen and heard" to the authorities who were poised to crucify them. The kind of value that is placed upon the relationship we have with our Heavenly Father must be so great that we would sell all that we had to purchase it for ourselves. There can be no price asked that is too great or that we would be unwilling to pay; and if there is...God questions our loyalty and love for Him.
You see my friends it is this kind of thinking that we are not getting in our churches today, but which can be found all through the teaching of Jesus Christ through the parables. That is the reason that the very basic foundations of our faith are tied in with what is said within these teachings to us...we just have to look closer to find them. May you richly bless God through your life in Him.
THE UNWORTHY SERVBANT
Each one of the parables of Jesus speaks to a different aspect of the very same subject in our human condition. This reference only takes two verses in Matthew 13:45-46 and yet so much is said about the type of seeking after God we need to have in order to really find peace and a sense of God's presence within us. I believe that many have come to the point that they feel their relationship with God is automatic in that once they become family ( in a sense) with God there is no more that needs to be done. A relationship with anyone is built upon a continuous effort on the part of both people involved to stay in contact and continue to develop that relationship.
I can say right here that I am very bad with that personally...especially with family and friends who I would otherwise be very close to. I don't even speak to my children much, and while they have contact with one another and a normal kind of communication ( Thank God) I remain a distant thought to them because I don't constantly try to stay in touch. As I grew up my whole family was always that way, and it really hurt our relationships. I am so thankful that I have gotten past that with my Heavenly Father and we speak all the time...what a difference that makes in my relationship with God, and I am convicted in my heart again that I don't do that with the rest of my family.
My real point in all of this is to say we have to work at having a relationship with God to the point that we begin to realize just how precious that contact is with Him to us. I had asked the question to people this last Sunday morning ; in order to put God first in your life what would you have to rearrange in your life? We are all very guilty in some way of placing something ahead of God...perhaps without even thinking about it. It does not have to be sinful pleasures that get in the way of your communication and relationship with God...it can be things that you feel are healthy to do or be a part of . It can be your love and concern for children, or your spouse; your mom or dad...any number of things that tend to take your time away from God. I am not talking about spending hours meditating or praying , but I am talking about spending some time everyday with your Heavenly Father.
In this parable of the merchant who is in search of the most perfect pearl; when he found it he went and sold everything that he had to purchase that pearl. He wanted to make sure that it was his alone. I want for you to note that he didn't go take out a loan so that there would be a lean on the ownership of the pearl...he went and sold everything that he needed to sell to get the full price of the pearl; and then he paid that price to have it for his own. That is as complete an ownership as can be had in this life.
It is that thought that Jesus wanted to express in this parable about the value of the Kingdom of Heaven to us. We should not only be influenced into the Kingdom, or even be completely convinced the Kingdom is real to us; but we need to be completely invested into the Kingdom of Heaven. I liken that to a man who is standing balanced on a pole...as long as he does not loose that balance he can stand on that pole indefinitely. If something like wind comes along to blow one direction or another the man has to adjust his balance by pushing or leaning in the opposite direction until that influence has ended. If the man is off balance he can only be so for a certain degree until he can no longer recover his balance and will definitely fall from his balanced position on the pole. God is telling us that our influence toward the Kingdom of heaven is not just believing in it, but being influenced so much that our balance is tipped toward God so much that we no longer have the ability to keep from falling into God's arms.
The Apostles were also in that free fall into the arms of God when they were saying things like " We cannot help but to speak the things we have seen and heard" to the authorities who were poised to crucify them. The kind of value that is placed upon the relationship we have with our Heavenly Father must be so great that we would sell all that we had to purchase it for ourselves. There can be no price asked that is too great or that we would be unwilling to pay; and if there is...God questions our loyalty and love for Him.
You see my friends it is this kind of thinking that we are not getting in our churches today, but which can be found all through the teaching of Jesus Christ through the parables. That is the reason that the very basic foundations of our faith are tied in with what is said within these teachings to us...we just have to look closer to find them. May you richly bless God through your life in Him.
THE UNWORTHY SERVBANT
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