Hidden Treasure

(Matthew 13:44 ISV) "The kingdom from heaven is like treasure hidden in a field that a man found and hid. In his excitement he went and sold everything he had and bought that field."

There is something about the word “treasure” that seems to trigger one’s imagination to immediately zoom past the realm of reason. Upon hearing the word “treasure” one begins to think of pirates, treasure chests, sunken ships filled with gold and money buried in cans, jars or under rocks. One might even think of the dusty covered bones of a long forgotten prospector lying next to a few bags of gold in the back of a cave.

The same reaction seems to be true when reading our text where it says that the “kingdom of heaven” is “like treasure hidden.” I think one of the points that our text is making is that the joy and benefits that come from a relationship with the Lord also inspires one’s imagination.

After walking with the Lord for so many years I am still incapable of fully understanding the treasure hidden for me to discover in His “kingdom.” I do not think it is possible for the natural mind to understand such spiritual things. Perhaps the kind of love, patience, glory and provision that is discovered in the “kingdom of heaven” only comes from abiding in Him.

I also think it is interesting that the man in our text was not just satisfied with finding the treasure, but he wanted to sell everything he owned in order to buy the entire field. His actions seem to leave us with two questions. Did he want the entire field because he thought there was more treasure hidden in it, or did he want the entire field because he felt the field itself was blessed?

I do not suppose there is any wrong answer to this question…only one’s preference. I like to think that the man wanted the field because he felt it was blessed. In other words, the real treasure he discovered is the Lord and one cannot buy that relationship…it is free. However, the relationship with the Body of Christ (or the field) is not free…it will cost you everything you have.

Last week my wife and I spent a few days on the gulf coast getting a little R&R. One day we decided to ride the ferry over to the resort town of Port Aransas and drive along the beach. While driving along the beach we passed the very sand dune that we had sat on thirty six years ago. My mind immediately recalled how we sat there and were entertained by all the cars getting stuck as they attempted to drive in the deep sand.

I remember sitting there watching all of this and unconsciously digging in the sand with my fingers. As I did that, all of a sudden I dug up a coin. As I continued to dig I continued to find more coins until I had a hand full. I was so overjoyed that I not only stopped being entertained by the stuck cars, but I also quit digging.

Perhaps I felt a little like the man in our text… I wanted the whole beach because I thought it was blessed.

I took those coins home and put them in a little plastic sack where they remain to this very day.

Occasionally, when I will look at that little sack of sandy coins, I am reminded of the blessing and provision of the Lord which is never far from my right hand…like those coins were.

Father,

I thank You for the natural lesson found in our text, but more especially the spiritual lesson. I am beginning to understand more and more what brother Paul meant in 1Corinthians 2:9 where he said, “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.” Father our desire is for You to infuse the meaning of all of this in our minds and the harmony of all of this in our hearts.

Amen