Lasting Treasure or Ash Heap

Yesterday I worked at my old office for the day. I was helping purge old records and materials. We cleaned out 4 filing cabinets and threw away tons of paper. I had the oddest feeling as I was going through the papers. Most of them were things that had been done while I was in that job. I told my replacement that I felt like I was throwing away 6 years of work. No one but me really knew how much time, energy (both physical and mental!) and thought had gone into each of those pieces of paper. Six years of hard work just thrown in a trash can in a matter of a few hours!

Today I talked with a friend whose college aged son is suffering from severe depression and has tried to end his life. I also talked with someone recently who related a story of how a relative worked hard, got a doctorate and was very successful in their field but when they reached 60 realized they had given up and missed so much of life while they pursued something that felt empty at the end.

With all those thoughts swirling in my head, the Holy Spirit brought to my mind several verses.

Luke 12:16-31 Jesus was telling the parable about the rich man who has so much he decides to build bigger barns to keep all his stuff. He says the Lord called the rich man a fool and said you will die tonight and who is going to get all your stuff? I love the New Living Translation of verse 21, ""Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God."

Mark 8:36 - "For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?"

Matt. 6:19 - "Do not lay up treasures for yourself on earth where moth and rust corrupt....but lay up treasure for yourself in heaven where neither moth or rust corrupt... for where your treasure is there your heart will be also.

John 15:6 - If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned.

I want my life to count for more than pieces of paper that will be shredded and burned up. I want to be laying up treasures in heaven that make me rich toward God. I heard a great sermon this week that is great food for thought as I attempt to lay up treasures in heaven. If you are young and just getting started in a career this would be a great sermon for you. The sermon was the first in a series started at Church of the Highlands in Birmingham called "From Here to There." The guest pastor who started the series asked everyone to consider two questions, 1. What makes you righteously angry (that's where your passion is) and 2. If money were no object, what would you do?

When I stand before the Lord I want to have some treasures to lay at His feet not an ash heap.