In Pursuit of True Treasure

July 31, 2006

Lar,

Amen to that verse and prayer. You just can’t get enough of Hebrews 11. Of course, I suppose you just can’t get enough of Scripture as a whole (except maybe some portions of 1 or 2 Chronicles). Anyhow, that verse is so incredibly practical to us in America today isn’t it?

“24By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, 25choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. 26He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward.”

Think about it: here we have Moses in possession of all the treasures of Egypt. He has it all–fame, pleasure, wealth, success, a secured future, etc. etc. Come to think of it, he has the American dream! And what does he do but turn away from it, considering it rubbish, for the sake of following the Lord–actually, for the sake of suffering for Him!
What an apt picture for Americans today! Here is a guy we can relate to. Not Peter, a poor fisherman living day to day, but Moses, the man with the 401k and IRA and every other kind of worldly comfort and security! Yet my O my how far we fall short. How sad it is that we so easily become caught up in the treasures of Egypt and miss out on the reward of the riches of Christ! We seek the reward temporal rather than the rewards eternal. What shall we do?

There seems to be only one answer: we need to see those riches! We need contours on the glory of our God. We need to be confronted with His glory day after day so that by the power of the Spirit, we might see the “riches” of America for what they really are–rubbish! There is simply no escaping it: the reason why so many middle to upper-class Christians get caught up in the bogus old American dream is because they have never been confronted with the majesty and glory of our infinitely beautiful God. They have never seen Him Lar. They have sat in church for years and never seen Him! It is indeed a tragedy.

In the providence of God, your timing in posting that verse was impeccable. Here’s why: Erin and I visited a church around here yesterday. It is a solid church with good, biblical preaching. The music is great, building is great, preaching is great, people are great, etc. etc. But you know what? Amidst all of this, it was just obvious in looking around at the people during the time of worship that many of them were on spiritual cruise control. I know that some might think that I was being judgmental, but honestly, you could sense it. It was just another sunday!

And you know why this was sad? Not b/c it is a bad church, but b/c it is a good one! Yet sadly in our day and age, even the good ones lack the fire of the Holy Spirit. Even the good ones lack that fire that turns the religious routine of worship into a divine encounter! Even the good ones lack that sweet fire that so fills the souls of the worshipers that the presence of God enteres the place!

I hate to say it Lar, but the fact is that despite all the good stuff, the manifest presence of God wasn’t there. I mean, of course He was there in the omnipresent sense. That is a given. But that is not what is expected among the children of the Living God! Manifest presence is what we need and long for. Manifest presence is what changes our hearts and overflows to attract the world!

And I can’t help but think that the main reason that we lack this sweet presence is that the treasures of Egypt have a hold on our suburban, middle-class hearts. It is tough stuff brother, tough stuff. Prosperity is the blessing of God, no doubt, but as we well know, those blessings can easily turn the table and end up hindering the work of the kingdom. Bit by bit the blessings take a place that only belongs to the Lord. The passion for Christ fades amidst life’s lesser pursuits.

May we always be reminded brother that without a daily vision of the glory of Christ, we too could fall away into ruin. Our hearts could grow cold even as we enjoy the blessings of God. We could move on into the religious routine and all the while, lose sight of the God that we supposedly seek. And even if we do not fall into ruin, we could easily find ourselves settling into religious cruise-control, with no real fire for the manifest presence of God, with no real burden for the countless millions enslaved to the ways of Egypt–indeed, with no real burden for a church enslaved to Egypt! Let the pseudo treasures of Egypt be forsaken as we seek the glory of Christ! May the Lord grant us the grace to be like Moses and lead others to the same! For it is desperately needed in American today.

Seeking His riches with you,

Joe

Posted by Joe | Filed Under Seeking Him 

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