Poster Archive : JUNE 2007
Message: What do you worship?
Bible Verse: Matthew 6:21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Reflect: An ancient story about a Babylonian queen goes something like this... When Nitocris died she had these words carved into her tomb:
"If any king of Babylon after me should be short of money, he may open this tomb and take as much as he wants, but only if he really is in need of it."
After a while the wealthy Persian King, Darius I, tormented by the riches lying inside the tomb, ordered it cracked open to get the money. But inside he found none. You can imagine the look on his face as his eyes slowly moved to an inscription barely readable in the dim light of the tomb.
"If you had not been greedy of gold and fond of base gain you would not have thought of ransacking the graves of the departed."
Darius's burning focus was on money and it drove him to rob a grave. So what drives you? We can be greedy for food, cars, sport, career, gadgets, lifestyle... you can finish the list. The question is what are we giving up to gain these things? Jesus said: "where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." In essence, what we treasure in our lives is what we worship with our hearts.
Jesus also said, "What good is it for one to gain the whole world yet forfeit their soul?" When we worship things instead of God we are in effect, trading our souls for the treasures of the world and according to Jesus we are ripping ourselves off. What good is it if I gain the whole world yet forfeit my soul? It's no good.
So how do I secure my soul? By unlocking the tomb of my heart and giving my soul to God. The Christian is someone who realises that knowing Jesus as friend, saviour and Lord is the greatest treasure of all.
Jesus knows the true value of our souls, he paid his life on the cross purchasing them. Unlike us, Jesus never misjudges something's value. To Jesus, you are a treasure worth purchasing. Do you need to reconsider the value of your soul? Is what you're worshipping at the moment really worth it?
Prayer: Dear Jesus, please help me to stop worshipping things and experiences and start worshipping you, the one true God. AMEN