In Matthew 6:21(ESV), Jesus Christ said “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” In this verse, he is teaching us about the importance of what you and I are carrying in our hearts. The heart is the greatest indicator of our spiritual character because it shows what we value most. It tells the story about our priorities. In Mark 12:30(ESV), Jesus tells us, “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” The state of our hearts this very moment speaks the truth about whether Mark 12:30 is actually a reality in your life. Our condition in the present and in eternity will mirror the truth regarding our commitment to put God first and love Him with all that we are.
God loves us totally and completely, whether we love Him or not, and He commands in His Word that our love for Him must have precedence over loving all others. Many people living today can’t fathom loving God to this degree. They place the love they have for their spouses, children, family and friends above all else, but we must remember that the only reason we’re able to love at all is because of our Creator. 1John 4:16(ESV) tells us, “So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.” You and I can abide in love only to the extent that we walk in God’s love. He’s the Originator and Author of it, and love cannot be defined or expressed outside of Him.
The richness of God’s love is undeniable. Through the Lord Jesus Christ, our Heavenly Father hasn’t left out any blessings for us. Ephesians 1:3-4(NLT) tells us, “3 All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. 4 Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes.” Think where we would be without God’s love. Think where we would be without knowing about all that He’s given us through Jesus Christ. Without knowledge of God’s love and Word, our lives would be a travesty worse than any other, but because of the love that Heavenly Father has shown us through the sacrifice of Christ, praise God, hell is a fate that believers will never see.
Through His promises and goodness, God has made us rich. All our accomplishments as human beings are because of Him, and it is so important that we understand this. The psalmist of Psalm 119 teaches us a great lesson about the level of gratitude we must have for God, for His guidance and the wisdom of His Word. In the passage of Psalm 119:127-131(NLT), he said, “127 Truly, I love your commands more than gold, even the finest gold. 128 Each of your commandments is right. That is why I hate every false way. 129 Your laws are wonderful. No wonder I obey them! 130 The teaching of your word gives light, so even the simple can understand. 131 I pant with expectation, longing for your commands. 132 Come and show me your mercy, as you do for all who love your name.” Look at the enthusiasm and appreciation the psalmist expressed regarding God’s laws and commandments. He said in verse 131 that he was so excited about the richness of God’s commands that he longed for more with bated breath. Can any of us say we feel the same way?
We most assuredly should express this level of excitement and expectation for God’s Word. We must remember that when the psalmist penned these words in Psalm 119, the truths of the New Testament were not even yet available. He knew only the Word of God delivered to the prophets in Old Testament times. Still the psalmist understood the vast treasure of Godly knowledge, wisdom, and the promises of God. Sadly, this kind of love for God’s Word is rarely witnessed in our modern times, but we should and can change this.
Arrogance has blinded the minds of many, and we have allowed intellectual and technological advances to go to our heads, but this is a costly mistake. Jesus Christ is the One that opened the door to all that we enjoy today. He said in John 14:12(ESV), “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.” The sacrifice and resurrection of Jesus Christ saved us in more ways that we could ever know. Because of what God accomplished through His only begotten Son, we get to enjoy the bounty of blessings as we spend an eternity with Him. This is beyond the wealth of our greatest imaginations.
The psalmist prayed in Psalm 119:133(KJV), “Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me.” You and I have the distinct honor, privilege, and responsibility to allow God to have dominion over our lives. He will order our steps to follow the example of Jesus Christ, and to walk by His Holy Spirit every moment of every day. We must trust this with our whole hearts. God’s goodness has made us richer than we can imagine, and it will take us an eternity to enjoy it all. The knowledge of His Word empowers us. Life in Christ is a gift, and if we continue to be committed to pursue God’s wisdom and live through His love, we will remain in His care and continue to receive the maximum blessings of a Godly life.■
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
“The Thing That Makes Us Rich”, written by Vince Mack. Blessing Beads and More© 2022. All rights reserved. All praise and honor to God through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.
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