“Have you understood all these things?” They said to Him, “Yes.” And He said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house, who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.” Matthew 13:51-52
Have you become a trained writer for the kingdom of heaven? What are you leaving that will last in the kingdom of heaven? Do you see the timeless truth laid out for the ages? Can you relate the truths from the treasures the Holy Spirit has given you? Does the Holy Spirit show you the treasures of old and explain their significance for today? Have you become a ‘master’ of knowing what is eternal and is part of the kingdom of heaven?
Life experience comes with the scars and costs; pain and disciplines are refined. All the range of emotions and feelings have been journaled and catalogued. Have you worked through the agony of trying to express the inexpressible? Have you attempted to explain the depths of the spiritual encounters the Lord has taken you through? Words are often shallow and thin in comparison to what was experienced and learned. So many personal experiences with God are kept in the vault of the heart and cherished as ‘pearls’, and jewels of great value, not to be shared widely or flippantly. It is from these things our faith is shaped. (Romans 10:7)
I observe so many rushing to store up so many worldly assets for themselves to only be left behind in a flash. What is worth the kingdom of heaven? What will remain? What is actually stored up for the kingdom of heaven? What have you invested eternally? These questions I ponder quite often while I look at the day asking the Lord to help me invest it wisely. I want to write things that point people to Jesus. That speak of His love and faithfulness. That explain His mercy and grace. That help us understand His justice. I want to write things that help me understand the importance of the present. (What else do we really have?) How much do I trust the Lord to be my Source of all my need? Or do I store up out of fear?
What are you saying to those you love? What will be the last thing you said to them? Are we mindful of how fragile this life is? Or how important understanding His love is? Do we have any idea the power of honest heartfelt prayer? Or the impact of the words we speak? (Proverbs 18:21)
What acts of kindness are recorded in the annuals of heaven that you have done out of obedience to the direction of the Holy Spirit? What things have you given out of the specific direction of the Holy Spirit? Can our selfish efforts have any value if we ‘name’ them as ‘for the Lord’? (1 Corinthians 3:15, 13:3, Hebrews 6) We often give out of our fear or lust wanting it to be accepted (Like Cain) – yet we ‘ask amiss’. (James 4:3)
What is He asking you to say today? What is He actually asking you to do? Who is He asking you to pray for today? When are you aware and focused on Him throughout your day? Does Jesus get only your ‘after thoughts’, or your quick meal ritual prayers?
Be eternally minded in the present now. (This takes intimate communion and relationship moment by moment with the Holy Spirit.)