One of the coolest surprises is when I put on an old pair of jeans and find money, that I totally forgot about, shoved in one of the pockets! When it's a few scrunched up dollars or better yet, a five, it is a thrilling event in my little world. My kids seem to enjoy finding loose change around the house and as the one who takes care of our laundry, I get the pleasure of recollecting the dimes and nickels that are clanking around in the washing machine. Forgotten coins, shoved into pockets of pants that were then tossed into the abyss of dirty clothes. Coins that were once cherished!
This morning during my quiet time, I was reading through Psalm 119 and came across verse 162 which says:
"I rejoice at your word like one who finds a great spoil."
Immediately, I was faced with the question: Do I rejoice in the Word of God? Do I rejoice like one who has just found a great treasure or spoil?
When I unexpectedly find money in my pocket, it is a surprise because I am not looking for it. It's just there. When I find it, I rejoice and find a way to spend it rather quickly on some sort of treat for me and the kids. I think a key difference with this "find" and the "find" in Psalm 19:162 is that the Psalmist is searching for treasure. He is searching because he knows it's there for the finding!
Another question hit me: When I open God's Word is it with childlike faith and anticipation that I am going to find a glorious, eternal treasure or am I satisfied with lesser "finds" that are momentarily cherished and then forgotten?
If your answers to these questions are anything like mine, make verses 36 & 37 of Psalm 119 your prayer:
"Incline my heart to your testimonies, and not to selfish gain! Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things; and give me life in your ways."
T- I just read this...uh, sorry for the delay in keeping up with reading (too busy getting distracted)...but it pierced my heart. No, I do not search eagerly for spoils in God's word. and tend to look only to what ends up being worthless things- still my high places. It is so hard to give up the things that we think we want, even though God has always been and always will be more and more satisfying than these empty ventures...but yet we (or at least I) still cling to them with all our (my) might. that makes me sad. pierced and sad:-(
ReplyDeletebut, thank you for writing it..it is good stuff!