The one pearl of great value.

Just read Matthew 13. It is a chapter full of great parables and instructions from Christ. It is also a very long chapter, and one that I could immerse myself in for days. There is such depth in it. But three verses in particular caught my eye. They are two very short parables that have never meant much to me, because no one ever talks about them and they are small. And, as we know, what is small is also invariably insignificant. NOT SO! After reading them over the first time, I thought to myself "these must be important... they are in the Bible. They MUST be important, even though they seem so trivial at first glance."

It hit me after reading them over a few more times. They are two images of just how valuable the kingdom of God is. This is more than religious dogma we are talking about. This is something worth living and dying for! The parables depict something so great and costly that it is worth selling all you have in exchange for it. It is truly treasure, one that is greater than all other things. The gospel. The cross. The kingdom. This magnificent kingdom is something that our simple brains cannot fathom. It is only when "the veil is removed" that we even begin to understand the extravagance and wealth that is in God.

There is so much more. I know there is so much more. I'm having trouble even wording what it is that I'm understanding and hearing right now. I can really relate to this chapter in Matthew, because it speaks a lot about the people who heard Jesus, "and did not hear", who saw him "yet did not see." The disciples questioned Jesus as to why he spoke in parables, and his answer was "because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. For whoever has, more will be given, and he will have abundance. But whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him." I believe this scenario occurs often even still... among non-believers, whose spiritual eyes have not yet been opened to the truth; and among believers who either do not understand how to "see" spiritually, or choose to use logic as their only guide. These are just my musings. Maybe I'm off on this point. I have been in several different situations lately, however, where I end up getting sad in knowing that I can't make anyone "see" anything via fancy words or convincing arguments. It's a God thing. Not to say that logic is to be abandoned; my mind comes alive when I choose to press in to the things of the Spirit. It is for that purpose that my mind was created. JESUS....

May we live with eyes wide open.
May we see.
May we hear.
May we taste.
May we know.
May we spread the revelation across the nations like wild fires.
This is the pearl of great price.
This is the hidden treasure.

Matthew 13:44-46

"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls; who, when he has found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it."