"Lighting the Fire"
Jotting – Week 39

GO!

Go with the Word

Stories abound about treasures found in the depths of the sea, coming to light centuries after the ship that carried it went down. You can order real treasures from real ships, reproductions made from the same metal, or coins from the same era. Popular myth would have us believe that pirates regularly buried their treasure and could find it again only with the help of a rough treasure map.

Imagine a treasure chest that was never emptied, that provided wealth whenever the cover was opened, that overflowed with coins and gold and jewels–more than enough to meet your needs. Imagine being able to give the treasure away, day after day, meeting others’ needs with your wealth, then opening the chest to discover a still abundant amount spilling out for you.

Just think, the Lord has called us His treasure: “For you are a holy people to the LORD your God; the LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples on the face of the earth” (Deuteronomy 7:6).

Jesus describes heaven as a treasure: “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field” (Matthew 13:44).

Paul writes about treasure in this way: “For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us” (2 Corinthians 4:6-7).

Psalm 119 reflects on God’s Word as a treasure:

“I rejoice at Your word As one who finds great treasure” (v. 162).

It describes the joy we find in God’s Word:

“Make me walk in the path of Your commandments, For I delight in it” (v. 35) “And I will delight myself in Your commandments, Which I love” (v. 47).

It tells what this treasure holds for us:

“Your word has given me life” (v. 50b);
“You are good, and do good; Teach me Your statutes” (v. 68);
“The law of Your mouth is better to me Than thousands of coins of gold and silver” (v. 72);
“Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path” (v. 105);
“Therefore I love Your commandments More than gold, yes, than fine gold!” (v. 127);

It tells how we respond to God’s Word:

“My lips shall utter praise, For You teach me Your statutes. My tongue shall speak of Your word, For all Your commandments are righteousness” (vv. 171-172).

God’s Word is a treasure, a treasure for our hearts: “Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You” (Psalm 119:11). Jesus used the Word of God against the wiles of the devil (see Matthew 4:1-11 and Luke 4:1-13).

People were eager to hear Jesus talk, to hear the Word of God He proclaimed: “As the multitude pressed about Him to hear the word of God ... He got into one of the boats, which was Simon's, and asked him to put out a little from the land. And He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat” (Luke 5:1, 3).

In the parable of the sower (Luke 8:5-18), Jesus emphasizes that the Word of God must go out from the heart, from the mouth, to the ears of those who would hear it and treasure it for themselves.

In the early church, we are told that “the word of God spread, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith” (Acts 6:7).

There was opposition to God’s Word being preached. When Peter and John were told not to speak at all or teach about Jesus, they answered: “‘"Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:19-20).

Peter was put in prison by King Herod (read Acts 12), but God wanted him to keep on preaching. An angel released him–to the surprise of those who were praying for just that–and Peter departed and went another way. Herod had tried to stop this tidal wave of Good News, “But the word of God grew and multiplied”(Acts 12:24).

The Gentiles treasured God’s Word: In Antioch, where Paul and Barnabas preached: “On the next Sabbath almost the whole city came together to hear the word of God. ... ‘For so the Lord has commanded us: “I have set you as a light to the gentiles, that you should be for salvation to the ends of the earth.”’ Now when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord. And as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed. And the word of the Lord was being spread throughout all the region” (Acts 13:44; 47-49).

Paul wrote: “For ‘whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.’ How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!’  But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, ‘Lord, who has believed our report?’ So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:13-17).

We hold a treasure in the Word of God, in the Good News of salvation through Jesus Christ. This treasure will never run out; it will meet our needs and the needs of those around us. Give it away and it will multiply. Under persecution, it will thrive. We cannot hide it under a bushel or let anyone blow it out. We carry it with us wherever we go. So GO! Go now with God’s Word to uphold and sustain you, to guide you and give you answers to all who ask; to give comfort to those who seek it; to enrich the lives of those to whom you give it with eternity.

Pray: Heavenly Father, You are our Treasure. It is You we seek, and You we find. You have given Your greatest Treasure, Your Son, Jesus Christ, to die for our sins and to be raised again from the dead so that we might have eternal life. Forgive us when we hoard this treasure, when we try to keep it to ourselves or hide it so no one knows we have it. Make us bold. Fill us with Your love, with Your Word, so that those around us may see our Father in heaven and glorify Him, so that they may no longer sit in poverty of spirit, without hope or joy, but instead be filled with the riches, the treasures of Your love and grace. In the holy name of Jesus. Amen.