Claiming Treasure

When I found your words, I devoured them;
they became my joy and the happiness of my heart…Jer 15:16

In today's readings the same gospel pericope as we heard on Sunday comes up again. It bears repeating that when we find a treasure of great value, it is human nature to go to all lengths to acquire that which we have found.

Too often we may fail to realize that a great treasure is available to us at all times, but just the help we need for whatever situation we may be facing is never too far away. I took the passage from Jeremiah this morning and considered it in view of the gospel reading. For Jeremiah the treasure he finds is the Lord's words, which he devours.

The promise of God to provide for us is one that has the power to inspire joy in our hearts. It is always a good practice to ask ourselves what our role or our part should be in order to obtain from God the fullness of what he promises us. I remember in my youth the evangelical idea that all one needs is to claim the promise. However, for me this seemed always to somehow fall short—not that I think that claiming the promises of God for oneself is somehow unreliable, but there's more to it.

Jeremiah makes it clear: "If you repent, I will restore you." I think that it's a common experience that God becomes a "treacherous brook" in the lives of many people; that is, in lives where there is need for restoration of the primary relationship with God. In honesty I have found myself feeling the same way on several occasions, though the sense of alienation from God varies from person to person. Perhaps the greater sense of alienation is a sign of the greater need—and of a greater capacity—for relationship with God.

What we stand to gain is in clear sight. The promises of God are a joyous attraction to our souls. It is always in our free will to acquire the promised treasures of God. Sure, we should verbally claim that they belong to us—that is where we must start. However, we must take the next step and act in freedom to acquire what is ours: we must choose God over sin in the multiple opportunities we are given in the moments of our lives.

The human ability to act in freedom can be the source of a great treasure added to our lives.  When we realize that obtaining from God is a decision that we make, it is no longer the case that we take life as passive participants.  Once we find the treasure, we must act to acquire it.

Comments

[Gabrielle]

I really agree with everything you're saying here, dd. I've always thought that the idea of "claiming the treasure" gave the misleading impression that that was all there was to it. It kind of reminded me of the "born again and that's it" stance.

I love your thought that "perhaps the greater sense of alienation is a sign of the greater need—and of a greater capacity—for relationship with God."