Hidden Treasure

Yesterday was such a beautiful day. After we left church, we came home, had lunch on the back deck and I settled into a lounge chair with a book. I had a hard time keeping interest in my book though, because I kept looking at all of the things that were distracting me. The bees were happily buzzing around the shrubbery, a frog had found a place on a rock in our little pond, and a turtle was trying to climb up a rock to get to the water. I could hear the laughter of the kids a few houses down mingled in with the distant noise of a lawn mower. The sunshine brought warmth to my body and soul.

Last week I spoke of how our backyard was ablaze with color. It is still true. When we first moved to our house a couple of years ago, our daughter was observing the backyard and noticed this shrubbery that covered at least a quarter to a third of the yard. At that time, it was green, and had no particular appeal. It was just a ground cover that separated the lower yard to the higher yard. She talked with us about what type of flowers we could plant if we pulled up the shrubbery. The yard had been neglected and the backyard looked more like weeds than anything else. However, this is just the type of challenge my husband enjoys. I think that is why we bought the house.

Last year after a return trip from Chicago, this is what our backyard looked like. We were so surprised! We had no idea the shrubbery would flower like this and be so beautiful. Actually, Julie had seen it before we did and couldn't wait for us to see it. We were glad we had waited before making any decisions about it.

This shrubbery reminds me of the hidden treasure in God's Word. We looked at it day after day but did not realize its true worth or beauty until it became ablaze with color. We could not take our eyes off it. That is what happens when God reveals truth to us through His Word. It becomes alive in our hearts and our eyes are opened. We discover wisdom and revelation...

As Paul prayed for the saints in Ephesus, we can pray the same thing for ourselves, our children, family and friends...

" I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know Him better." Ephesians 1:17

We are enlightened, we have hope. We have God's mighty power working in us.

"I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and His incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of His mighty strength, which He exerted in Christ when He raised Him from the dead..." Ephesians 1:18-20

The same power that God raised Christ from the dead, is the same power that He is working in us... God did not bring us to Him and then leave us helpless...

"My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding, and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God.

For the Lord gives wisdom and from His mouth come knowledge and understanding. He holds victory in store for the upright, He is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of His faithful ones.

Then you will understand what is right and just and fair-- every good path. For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. Discretion will protect you, and understanding will guard you. Wisdom will save you from the ways of wicked men, from men whose words are perverse." Proverbs 2:1-12