In Jeremiah 15 today, God speaks of the need for repentance. “Thus the Lord answered me: If you repent, so that I restore you, in my presence you shall stand.” Yet another reminder for us that repentance only brings about good things. In the Gospel reading from Matthew 13, Jesus tells two very brief parables about what the Kingdom of heaven is like.
Though often times his messages were hidden, Jesus always used examples that his listeners would relate to. Today He talks about finding things that would make us rich beyond our wildest dreams. A treasure buried in a field, and a pearl of great price. Who wouldn’t like to have those things? The people in the parables were willing to give up everything they had to get their hands on that which would change their lives.
Of course, we know that the treasure and the pearl of great price are Christ Himself. He is the Way to heaven. So it begs the question, what are we willing to do, what are we willing to give up for Him? Could we “sell all that we have?” I don’t think that Jesus is proposing that we have an enormous garage sale and move to an impoverished land. Or is He? If He were to ask that of us, could we comply? What if we had to give up an unhealthy relationship? Or a job that helps us make a comfortable living? What is heaven worth?
Father, help us to be willing to sell all that we have, so that we may attain the pearl of great price, the Kingdom of heaven. Amen.
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