Worth everything
by Pastor Jim Strelan
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In his joy [he] went and sold all he had and bought the field (Matthew 13:44b).
What does it mean to you to know you have a God who loves you unconditionally, promises to be with you always, willingly forgives you and lets you start again, and only has open arms for you? What value do you put on that compared to many other things you might have that are of worth?
If your heart is set on something, then nothing will get in the way of you achieving it. You will make sacrifices, forego things, and persevere because you have put value on that thing, and it’s worth everything.
The man in Jesus’ parable who finds a treasure is so overwhelmed and so excited at his discovery that he willingly, with great joy, sells everything to gain it. The treasure for this man and the exquisite pearl for the second man in Jesus’ parable is worth everything.
Jesus says that the kingdom of heaven is like this. Where Christ is king, there is a shift in mindset. All the things in life we enjoy, all the things that are precious to us, all the things we consider to be of great value, all those things we don’t hold onto so tightly that we’re not prepared to let them go. They have great value, but when we are in the kingdom – where Christ rules – that connection means more than anything. Many things bring us joy, but there is no greater joy than being in the kingdom.
The great thing is that the treasure is already in the field, and the pearl is already there. Neither man created the treasure. Neither man actually earned it nor deserved it. But on finding it, both men recognised the value. It was worth everything.
Spend a moment reflecting on the value of the gift you have been given. Acknowledge how much poorer you would be without it. And thank God. What he gives is worth everything.
Thank you, God, for giving me the greatest gift of all and for the joy it brings. Amen.
Jim Strelan is a retired pastor who lives in Brisbane, Queensland. He has worked in Papua New Guinea, two Lutheran colleges and two suburban congregations, both with schools. He has three children and seven grandchildren and loves them all unconditionally. His passion is to share the gospel in ways that are as clear and simple as possible.
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