Blog # 37 HIDDEN TREASURE

Blog # 37 A HIDDEN TREASURE "The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field." ( Mat 13: 44). As Jesus says, the treasure is a hidden one. It is not out in the open, where everyone must see it whether he or she cares to or not. If so, there would be no reward or the joy of finding it. If I told you water is wet and then asked you to believe me there is no room for faith on your part for you already know by yourself that what I said is true. If I could not help but see that all of the things Jesus taught us are good and true there would be no room for faith and freedom on our part, and so no room for genuine love, which must be free. Unless we make an effort to learn to play the saxophone, to paint a picture, to build a home, or play football, we will never do these things. It is similar with faith and holiness. That is what Jesus is telling us when He says the Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field. The field is our life. God is there. He is creating us and without God we would not exist, nor would the food we eat the sun that warms us nor the ground beneath our feet. It is up to us, with His ever-present grace, to find Him. If we have made no effort to find God in our life then we cannot expect to find Him, nor that faith will be very important to us, nor,of course, there will be any reward for us for having tried. If a man does not plant peanuts he cannot expect a harvest. So too if a man does not make an effort to find the treasure of God's presence in his life he cannot expect to have the happiness that comes from having found it. On the other hand if we make a sincere effort to know love and obey God no matter how low or miserable we might be at the start He will help us in our search. We will grow and develop. We will see more and more of the beauty of our faith. With God's help we will be prepared to sacrifice all rather than this great treasure. We will no longer be tied down with the chains of sin and a bad conscience but will be free and happy with a happiness that is a foretaste of eternal joy. "The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field."