God’s Heavenly Kingdom is Worth More to Us Than Gold
God’s Kingdom is our Home. With Almighty God, we walk in the sunshine of His love.
Reflection. Jesus’ parable shows us the Kingdom of Heaven. It is worth more than anything else. We must be willing to sacrifice everything.
The parable of the pearl is a story told by Jesus to illustrate the great value of the Kingdom of Heaven12. It is recorded in Matthew 13:45–46 12. The story is about a merchant who sells everything he has to buy a pearl of great value2. The pearl represents the Kingdom of Heaven, and the merchant represents the person who is willing to give up everything for it1. (Bing, 19/07/2024)
Unfortunately, we live in a time where wealth is sought after. Where it is not who we are that matters. But how much money is in our bank account? Sadly people judge us by what we wear. Not how we treat those in need. People often ridicule those who work tirelessly for Jesus. We are looked down upon. When we freely give our money to charities. Not, leaving enough for fancy cars and clothing.
We hold our heads up high. We walk tall and proud. We have the love of God in our hearts. We have the Kingdom of God as our Home. The Kingdom of God is where we choose to be. The Kingdom of God is more important to us than gold, silver or the accolades of others. Walking daily in the Kingdom of God is all the reward we seek.
In Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s A Scandal in Bohemia, Sherlock Holmes was able to sneak himself into the house of Irene Adler to find a picture of her with the king of Bohemia.
To find the picture, which poses a risk of scandal for the king, Sherlock instructs Watson to throw a smoke bomb through the window, prompting the warning call of “fire!” Irene Adler exposes the hidden place of the picture since she runs to the exact place where the picture is kept.
In this way, Holmes was able to discover the location of the hidden picture since “when a woman thinks that her house is on fire, her instinct is at once to rush to the thing which she values most”
People will inevitably reveal what they value most by their actions. Irene Adler’s most valuable possession was the picture of her with the king of Bohemia, which was linked to her safety and reputation. (Arthur Conan Doyle, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes: A Scandal in Bohemia).
Other people may value money more than anything. And will go to great lengths to secure and gain more riches. For many people, their success or family is the most valued treasure of their lives. That is revealed in how they spend their time and energy.
Scripture Reading: A person’s heart is tied to what they value most in life. Jesus spoke of this truth when He stated, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21, NIV). Instead of valuing and building treasure on Earth, Christ urged His followers to store up treasures in Heaven (Matthew 6:19–20). (SOPHIA BRICKER. 23 July 2021)
What, do you treasure in your heart most dearly? I pray it is Almighty God and His Heavenly Kingdom. We can store in our hearts many treasures every day. Bible reading and memorising Bible texts store the words of God in our hearts. The first thing we do as we wake up. We whisper a silent prayer to Almighty God. So very much we have to thank God for in our morning prayer. We thank God for family, home and His protection. Most of all we praise God for His never-ending love.
We reach out and take up the Holy Word of God. Every word of God is added to the treasures in our hearts. We pray to God the Holy Spirit to guide us to what He needs us to learn. We learn and we memorise. Each word is a jewel in our crown. Each word of God is a treasure to be cherished deep in our hearts. Every word of God is “a pearl of great price.”
The Holy Word of God is the greatest of all treasures. Cherish it deep in our hearts.
Scripture Readings: He replied, “Blessed rather, are those who hear the Word of God and obey it.” (Luke 11:28, ESV)
Heaven and Earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away. (Matthew 24:35, ESV)
The Scriptures were written by God about God. God’s Word speaks of Him and tells of His never-ending love. The Holy Word of God fills our hearts with treasures that never tarnish. God’s Holy Word speaks of His forgiveness through the saving grace of Jesus. A jewel not earned but cherished because of who God is. God is love.
The Bible tells us all we need to know about the Kingdom of God. How to gain entry into the Heavenly Kingdom. Both while we are still alive here on Earth. And in the future Kingdom in Paradise for eternity with Almighty God. The more we read our Bible. The more we learn of God’s Heavenly Kingdom. The more we know of the Kingdom. The more we treasure it in our hearts.
Conclusion. Almighty God and His Heavenly Kingdom are placed firmly in our hearts.
Scripture Readings: (Romans 14:17, ESV) For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. (Matthew 4:17, KJV) From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. (Bing, 19/07/2024)
The Kingdom of God of God as described by Jesus is a place of “righteousness and peace.” We work each day to bring this Kingdom into our lives. We work tirelessly to bring righteousness and peace into the lives of those around us. It is not easy. We ask for the help of our Lord Jesus as we do this. We seek the help of God the Holy Spirit when strength is needed.
We believe firmly in what our Lord Jesus taught us. Where our treasure is. So is our heart. We love God and His Kingdom more and more each day.
We work tirelessly to bring righteousness and peace into this world.
Today’s hymn is taken from Jesus’ parable, “Pearl of Great Price.”
Time for reflection
Jesus told a similar story to his friends because he wanted them to have the greatest treasure ever. The treasure that Jesus was talking about is all the joy, peace and love that God wants to give us.
Christians believe that God wants us to understand that knowing him is worth more than all the riches in the world. They also believe that God wants us to know that, in his eyes, we are each a special treasure, so much so that he was willing to give up his son’s life to find us. (by Janice Ross, 2022)
This article is truly inspiring, Diane.
I pray there was something in my article where God blessed you.
If so, please highlight this piece.
Send me a comment on how God blessed you through my words.
God keep you safe under His wings always, Diane.
