“The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid again; and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.” Matthew 13:44
It is so easy to read over this tiny parable of Jesus, as just one more “should” in a seemingly endless list of religious expectations. “If you really loved God, you would be willing to sell everything (spiritually, emotionally, relationally, financially, etc.) for the sake of the Kingdom.” But the context of Matthew 13 does not support this interpretation. In all the parables grouped in chapter thirteen, the “man” is God. This then is not another rule that we ought to live by, but rather the revelation of our Father’s love. God treasures us so much he is joyously willing to sell everything he has – Christ on the cross – to purchase our life. The greatest loss in our grim drudgery of self-conceived kingdom expectations is the accurate picture of God’s passionate pursuit of us. It is almost impossible for us to embrace the concept that God, who is in need for nothing, desires us with all of who he is. And yet he does. The beauty of this revelation is that as we embrace God’s passion for us, no matter what rock we feel stuffed under at the present moment, and begin to rest in that love, we cease from our work and begin to naturally desire God’s Kingdom above all else. Be still and know that God is God and that you are treasured.
It is so easy to read over this tiny parable of Jesus, as just one more “should” in a seemingly endless list of religious expectations. “If you really loved God, you would be willing to sell everything (spiritually, emotionally, relationally, financially, etc.) for the sake of the Kingdom.” But the context of Matthew 13 does not support this interpretation. In all the parables grouped in chapter thirteen, the “man” is God. This then is not another rule that we ought to live by, but rather the revelation of our Father’s love. God treasures us so much he is joyously willing to sell everything he has – Christ on the cross – to purchase our life. The greatest loss in our grim drudgery of self-conceived kingdom expectations is the accurate picture of God’s passionate pursuit of us. It is almost impossible for us to embrace the concept that God, who is in need for nothing, desires us with all of who he is. And yet he does. The beauty of this revelation is that as we embrace God’s passion for us, no matter what rock we feel stuffed under at the present moment, and begin to rest in that love, we cease from our work and begin to naturally desire God’s Kingdom above all else. Be still and know that God is God and that you are treasured.
1 comment:
No, YOU are treasured.
I love you
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