July 15, 2020 8:00 pm
At the sound of the digital melody, all six of us sprang into action. Some slipped shoes on, others simply bolted for the door barefoot. Within seconds we were all sprinting down the driveway chasing the ice cream truck. It was the first warm day of summer, and there was no better way to celebrate than with a cold, sweet treat! There are things we do simply because of the joy it brings us, not out of discipline or obligation.
In the pair of parables found in Matthew 13:44–46, the emphasis is selling everything to gain something else. We might think the stories are about sacrifice. But that’s not the point. In fact, the first story declares it was “joy” that led the man to sell everything and buy the field. Joy drives change—not guilt or duty.
Jesus isn’t one segment of our lives; His claims on us are total. Both men in the stories “sold all” (v. 46). But here’s the best part: the result of this selling of everything is actually gain. We may not have guessed that. Isn’t the Christian life about taking up your cross? Yes. It is. But when we die, we live; when we lose our lives, we find it. When we “sell all,” we gain the greatest treasure: Jesus! Joy is the reason; surrender is the response.
The treasure of knowing Jesus is the reward.
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Welcome to today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread.
Today's reading, titled Costly Joy, was written by Glenn Pachium. At the sound of the digital melody, all six of us sprang into action. Some slipped shoes on, others simply bolted for the door barefoot. Within seconds, we were all sprinting down the driveway, chasing the ice cream truck.
It was the first warm day of summer, and there was no better way to celebrate than with a cold sweet treat. There are things we do simply because of the joy it brings us, not out of discipline or obligation. In the pair of parables found in Matthew chapter 13 verses 44 through 46, the emphasis is selling everything to gain something else. We might think the stories are about sacrifice, but that's not the point. In fact, the first story declares it was joy that led the man to sell everything and buy the field.
Joy drives change, not guilt or duty. Jesus isn't one segment of our lives. His claims on us are total.
Both men in the stories sold all. But here's the best part. The result of this selling of everything is actually gain.
We may not have guessed that. Isn't the Christian life about taking up your cross? Yes, it is. But when we die, we live. When we lose our life, we find it. When we sell all, we gain the greatest treasure. Jesus. Joy is the reason.
Surrender is the response. The treasure of knowing Jesus is the reward. Today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading is from Matthew chapter 13 verses 44 through 46. The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls.
When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it. Let's pray. Dear Jesus, open our eyes to see the treasure that You are. Please direct our hearts to You as the source of true and unfailing joy, and let us always keep our focus on You and give us the grace to surrender everything to You. It's in Your name we pray, Jesus. Amen. Today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread Ministries.
Whisper: medium.en / 2024-03-18 13:41:51 / 2024-03-18 13:43:15 / 1
