Daily Devotionals

Where is Your Heart?

Posted in Stewardship/Giving

Scripture:  “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal; but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” – Matthew 6:19-21

 

A couple of Sundays ago, our Senior Pastor preached a message on stewardship. I sat and listened to what the Lord laid on his heart to share with our congregation. Pastor Brad talked about how often Jesus taught on money and the sins related to it. Brad shared from Matthew 6:19-21 that “where your money is, your heart is also.”

 

I was given a heart-changing lesson on financial stewardship many years ago by a client. He asked me if I had ever studied Matthew 6 and specifically when Jesus teaches during the Sermon on the Mount about something he called the treasure principle. Rather than explain Jesus’ teaching and the story to me, my friend gave me a short book and encouraged me to read it. The book is entitled The Treasure Principle by Randy Alcorn. A short read, perhaps an hour or so, but life-changing words are shared throughout.

 

The book is based on today’s scripture, where Jesus teaches that we are not to store up treasures on earth, where moths and rust destroy and thieves break in and steal. But we are to store up treasures in heaven. The book explains something I know to be true. Have you ever owned a boat? I have. Have you ever bought an expensive suit? I have. I am not saying that these things are bad, but they have rusted and are now worn over the years. The point is– they don’t last. And, as we all now, you cannot take them with you when you leave this earth. Jesus does not suggest that these things might be lost on earth; he says that at some point they will be lost. At some point in the future, these earthly treasures just “fly away,” as the writer suggests.

 

In the second part of this verse, he tells us exactly where to store up treasure. He points to heaven. Now, I do not know the specific area that the Lord is leading you in your tithing and giving. There are so many great ways to share your resources in the Kingdom of God. For some, it might be Eastminster, for others it might be another Christian organization that the Lord has put on your heart.  Or maybe it’s a combination of both. In the book, there is a statement about the person who is storing up treasures in heaven, and that person is described as someone who spends each day moving towards his treasures and, therefore, has reason to rejoice. The Bible shares specifics about heaven and what riches we might receive when we get there. The point is that heaven is where treasures last!

 

Where is your heart when it comes to giving? Are you storing up treasure on earth, where moth and rust destroy? Or are you storing up treasure in heaven?  Are you moving toward your treasure and therefore rejoicing?  Where’s your money?  Or rather, where’s your heart?

 

Prayer:  Father in heaven, make us truly thankful for all of our many blessings. Open our eyes to the important work you would have us do to further your Kingdom. Help us to use the resources we have been blessed with to build up treasures in heaven where moths and rust do not destroy. Use your church, Eastminster, to do extraordinary things so that we can continue to be a blessing in our community, our state and around the world. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

 

Submitted by Mark Sullivan