What stirs your soul? What gives rise to feelings of contentment and satisfaction? What plunges you into shame or despair? What do you hide in your life and what causes you to hide yourself?
The answer, for all of us, is those things which we treasure most. Often it is the deprivation and loss of those things that reveals how much we did love them. Some of the things we hold dearly are good, others are idols which can only hurt and disappoint when put to the test. When we know that what we treasure is wrong or shameful we will hide it or ourselves.
When God created humans his intention was that he would be our greatest treasure. A secondary treasure that he gifted us was one another, being created in his image as we are. Taken together, these two treasures make up the greatest commandment to love the Lord with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength and second that is like it of loving our neighbor as ourselves.
Our soul, that mysterious unifying part of our inner being, is made for this kind of treasuring, for an intimacy in attachment. This knowing and being known drive much of human behavior as do their sinful opposites of hiding and covering up.
Above all else, we are to link our hearts and desires to God. Treasuring him first and foremost rightly prepares our hearts to treasure others in appropriate and God-honoring ways. The order and prioritization of those treasures is important. Treasure and attach to God first, then others. Without the God-treasuring impulse correctly applied to our Creator, any love for others is certain to be corrupted, falling short of what God truly desires.
How do we go about "treasuring" God? Or to go back to the original questions, how do we cultivate a heart and mind that are stirred up by the things of God? How do we lay aside sinful treasures and their attendant shame in order to find satisfaction and contentment in Him?
To be laid bare before God and others, soul to soul, knowing and being known, with unhindered perception into the true self of others can seem a frightful concept. Yet, such is God's desire in His relationship with us. Such is His desire for our relationships to one another.
Treasuring him in his goodness, mercy, and love seems easy. Treasuring others with all their sin and brokenness is much harder. At times, the hardest of all is viewing ourselves as truly treasured by God.
The starting place for rightly ordered treasures in our lives is pretty simple, yet so hard that it can only happen through the work of the Holy Spirit: believe. The Spirit-enabled act of trusting in Christ and hoping in the gospel is the first step in bringing about the God first, others second sort of treasuring we were created for.
God really is as good as he says and Jesus' work on the cross is really as complete as his "it is finished" declaration. The joy and hope the Father offers in the Son is unassailable by the troubles and sorrows of this world. The love with which we are loved and which we are empowered to love others is wholesome, pure, and relentless.
That first quickening of our spirits in the moment of faith reveals a heart that has come to treasure God above all else. In that instant, God becomes supremely glorious to us as we experience his redeeming love.
The ongoing work of obedience in faith then becomes a continual reassessment of our treasures. Jesus points this out when he says "where your treasure is, there your heart lies also."
Personally, I have had very little in my life in terms of "treasure" in the traditional sense. There are no buried treasures or secret chambers filled with gold or jewels lying underneath the Robertson household. That being said, I have treasured many things in my life and have often treasured them more dearly than I should have. Each of these things, when loved appropriately, can bring great joy and satisfaction to a life surrendered first to God.
The Lord knows that I have not always treasured these things in the right order or proportion. I have tended to the image of "loving husband and father" in ways that were unfair to my wife and kids. I have checked my bank account thinking it of the ways it was or wasn't giving me the sense of security or accomplishment that I desired. Even my work in ministry has at times been a source of ungodly pride as I have tied my identity up with fruitfulness, or the godliness that of assume of me because of my job.
Treasuring the Lord as the greatest thing in our life takes discipline. In particular it takes ongoing repentance and surrender to the grace and mercy of God. Even when we don't see idolatry in our hearts we can be sure that it isn't hiding too far away waiting for some inattention or change in circumstances to reassert itself in our hearts.
God is so good and patient with us in this. He doesn't scold and deride but rather invites and uplifts and strengthens us through the word and His Spirit. Any turn of heart that we have is a joyous return of a prodigal son to Him. We don't need to beat ourselves up for our failings with this because God certainly isn't.
A series of questions for self assessment can be helpful for uncovering what our hearts are holding on to. These are ones that I have used in my own journey to re-center myself, bringing idols into the light so that I can reorient my heart around God.
- What has brought you joy and delight this week? Is fellowship with God on the list?
- What has caused you fear, discomfort, and anxiety and what is it in your life that feels under threat in those situations? Have you taken those emotions to God or have you become buried under them by indulging them and ruminating on them? What have you turned to besides God for comfort?
- What treasures in your life (God, family, marriage, friendship, finances, possessions) have you cultivated, cleaned, checked in on, or otherwise paid attention to this week? Have you shown God the highest place of honor with your time or attention?
- Have you rested in God this week? Have you practiced sabbath in order to connect with Him and to be reminded of His goodness and faithfulness?
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