Matthew 6:21

Monday, 13 January 2025   For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:21   “For where your treasure, it is, there also your heart, it will be” (CG).   In the previous verse, Jesus spoke of amassing treasures in heaven, noting that earthly treasures can be stolen or eaten up. With that remembered, He next says, “For where your treasure, it is, there also your heart, it will be.”   This is a link right back to the book of Joshua and the story Achan. He was fixated on earthly treasure, and that is where his heart was. It cost him everything –   “And Achan answered Joshua and said, ‘Indeed I have sinned against the Lord God of Israel, and this is what I have done: 21 When I saw among the spoils a beautiful Babylonian garment, two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold weighing fifty shekels, I coveted them and took them. And there they are, hidden in the earth in the midst of my tent, with the silver under it.’ 22 So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent; and there it was, hidden in his tent, with the silver under it. 23 And they took them from the midst of the tent, brought them to Joshua and to all the children of Israel, and laid them out before the Lord. 24 Then Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah, the silver, the garment, the wedge of gold, his sons, his daughters, his oxen, his donkeys, his sheep, his tent, and all that he had, and they brought them to the Valley of Achor. 25 And Joshua said, ‘Why have you troubled us? The Lord will trouble you this day.’ So all Israel stoned him with stones; and they burned them with fire after they had stoned them with stones. 26 Then they raised over him a great heap of stones, still there to this day. So the Lord turned from the fierceness of His anger. Therefore the name of that place has been called the Valley of Achor to this day.” Joshua 7: 20-26   On the other hand David had great wealth, but it did not possess him. Instead, he was a man of faith, and his heart was set on the Lord. The few times he is noted as having failed the Lord, it also notes that his heart was contrite, and he mourned over his blunders. David’s treasure, above all else, was the Lord, and that is where his heart also was –   “Furthermore King David said to all the assembly: ‘My son Solomon, whom alone God has chosen, is young and inexperienced; and the work is great, because the temple is not for man but for the Lord God. 2 Now for the house of my God I have prepared with all my might: gold for things to be made of gold, silver for things of silver, bronze for things of bronze, iron for things of iron, wood for things of wood, onyx stones, stones to be set, glistening stones of various colors, all kinds of precious stones, and marble slabs in abundance. 3 Moreover, because I have set my affection on the house of my God, I have given to the house of my God, over and above all that I have prepared for the holy house, my own special treasure of gold and silver: 4 three thousand talents of gold, of the gold of Ophir, and seven thousand talents of refined silver, to overlay the walls of the houses; 5 the gold for things of gold and the silver for things of silver, and for all kinds of work to be done by the hands of craftsmen. Who then is willing to consecrate himself this day to the Lord?’” 1 Chronicles 29:1-5   Life application: There is nothing wrong with possessing wealth or protecting that wealth for the future. In fact, Proverbs says –   “A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children, But the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous.” Proverbs 13:22   One cannot save up for his children’s children if he doesn’t possess wealth to some degree. The point of the Bible’s words concerning this matter is essentially, “Are you master over wealth, or is your wealth master over you.”   Be wise concerning earning and saving, but also let your heart be directed to the Lord above all else.   Heavenly Father, help us to be responsible with the blessings You have bestowed upon us. If we squander what we have, it shows that our priorities were not directed toward You in the first place. Instead, we carelessly handled Your blessing upon us. At the same time, may we never let our possessions possess us. May You always be our hearts’ desire. Amen.