The gospel reading (specifically Matthew 6:21) for Ash Wednesday challenged me to consider anew what I truly treasure. The reflection began with a simple need to explain what “treasure” meant to a young child.
I described “treasure” as that thing that you would lock away and keep while letting everything else go. It would be the one thing you would hide, vow to never surrender, and protect with every ounce of your ability. Then, the depths of this truth began to hit home! If I am right, I pondered with increasing conviction, then what is my treasure? And not treasures, but treasure. Saint Matthew did not pen the plural, so I believe Jesus spoke it in the singular as recorded, therefore there is no truckload of treasures to possess. Just a singular treasure.
What is that one thing that would be the very last thing I’d ever give up? I know what the answer is supposed to be, to love Almighty God completely (Deuteronomy 6:5, Matthew 22:37, Mark 12:30, Luke 10:27, Joshua 22:5, Nehemiah 1:5, Proverbs 3:5).
Surely I love Almighty God, I do, but I ponder........what if I was like Abraham and was asked to sacrifice my most precious child? Could you choose obedience to God and take the life of your child? Maybe that one is too hard to consider, so instead of Abraham we consider John or James. They are sitting on the edge of their boat with brother and father washing and mending their nets, and Jesus walks up and says “leave it, and come follow me”. I wonder, would I follow? Would you?
So let’s take a moment and ponder together, what is our true treasure? I recall King David’s words from Psalm 51, which is also part of our Ash Wednesday liturgy, which says (verse 5) “Behold, I was shapen in wickedness, and in sin hath my mother conceived me.” Fact is, I’m broken, I’m selfish, I’m controlling, I’m so many other things than righteous.
Then the Spirit taps my shoulder, and these words come to life in my heart, and lift my countenance, and sets me free-
For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Cor. 5:21, ESV)
Christ Jesus covers me in His righteousness, a gift to treasure indeed! Truly, I love because He first loved me (1 John 4:19)! So I see my treasure, renewed once again, back on loving Almighty God-The Father to which we will go, the Son by which we are able, and the Spirit through which this has been revealed. One God mighty to save, Creator of all things, in control of all things.
Lord God, may my focus always be upon you, and may you forever remain the treasure of my heart. AMEN.