In his book "Magnificent Obsession," John White [1] wrote this about heavenly treasure:
There is a magnificent insanity about the parable in Matthew 13:45. It has to do with a pearl freak–a merchant whose hobby was pearls. Evidently, one day he came across a pearl to end all pearls. Imagine him with staring eyes, quickly taking in his breath, licking his dry lips, then anxiously inquiring about price, haggling and pondering the tremendous cost of the pearl. You can also imagine him returning home and looking over the rest of his pearl collection. With shaking hands he would pick them up one by one and drop them into a soft leather pouch. Not only pearls, but house, slaves and everything would go so that the one pearl might become his...
The way of the cross is a magnificent obsession with a heavenly pearl, beside which everything else in life has no value. If it were a case of buying it, we would gladly sell all we had to do so.
But we cannot buy heavenly treasure. It is not for sale. The point of the parable is that having caught a glimpse of the pearl, we count all else of no value and pursue the treasure.
The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up.
Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls,
who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.
Matthew 13:44-46
If you had the chance to have a pearl or a 25 cent trinket from a gumball machine, which would you choose?
Have you caught a glimpse of that Pearl?
Have you caught a glimpse of the heavenly Treasure?
Would you trade the heavenly Treasure for thirty pieces of silver?
Would you trade the perishable crown for the imperishable?
And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.I Peter 5:4Would you trade fleeting earthly pleasures for everlasting heavenly pleasures?
Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal,20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.Matthew 6:19-21You make known to me the path of life;in your presence there is fullness of joy;at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.Psalm 16:11Would you be willing to exchange one day in His house for a thousand elsewhere?
How lovely is your dwelling place,O LORD of hosts!2 My soul longs, yes, faintsfor the courts of the LORD;my heart and flesh sing for joyto the living God....10 For a day in your courts is betterthan a thousand elsewhere.I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my Godthan dwell in the tents of wickedness.11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield;the LORD bestows favor and honor.No good thing does he withholdfrom those who walk uprightly.12 O LORD of hosts,blessed is the one who trusts in you!What or who do you truly treasure?
What's your price?
What are your thirty pieces of silver?
Do you truly treasure Him?
Have you seen His glory and His all-surpassing worth?
Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
–Philippians 3:8-11
Lord Jesus, earthly treasures continue to lure and entice us.
They shine.
They sparkle.
They glimmer.
They gleam.
They call to us.
They make promises to us.
But not one of them compares to You.
Lord Jesus, our flesh is weak.
We come to You boldly in our time of need.
We praise You that You are a high priest who sympathizes with our weaknesses.
You were tempted as we were and yet without sin.
We confess we lust after these earthly treasures in our hearts.
Forgive us for treasuring these things above You.
Our flesh lusts against the Spirit, yes,
but yet Your Spirit lusts against our flesh.
You have put into us a new heart so we might treasure You alone.
Holy Spirit, work in us so we might not fulfill the lusts of the flesh.
Strengthen us to battle the flesh and mortify sin so sin might not have dominion over us.
Strengthen us so we might treasure the Lord Jesus alone and never consider selling out.
Holy God, be gracious to us.
Restore to us a vision of Your glory once more.
When we see Your glory aright we will see earthly treasures aright.
When we see Your glory aright we could never sell out for thirty pieces of silver.
May we count everything as loss for the surpassing worth of knowing You.
God forbid we exchange You and Your glory for thirty pieces of silver.
Keep our hearts and minds fixed on You – for You alone are the only true Treasure.
May we make You our only true Treasure and never settle for lesser "treasures."
Thank Your for treasuring us so much that You died for us.
[1] John White, "Magnificent Obsession" (Downers Grove: IVP, 1976, revised edition 1990), 31-32. I previously quoted this
here.
Related posts:
Scripture quotations are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. Copyright ©2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Have fun getting the bed made, etc., etc. 
