Buried Treasure

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ne of my favorite books is Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island.  I have read the book several times and have often pretended I was on some deserted island in search of lost treasure.  What little boy, or big boy for that matter, hasn't imagined what it would be like to hunt for buried treasure?

I played out this scenario quite often, especially while looking for quarters to do laundry when I lived in the men’s dorm.  Finding the correct change involved rummaging through drawers, looking under the bed, and checking in pants’ pockets.  Unlike Treasure Island, though, there was no map and ‘X’ never marked the spot.

Laundry and money never seemed to be a problem when I was growing up.  My clothes magically appeared, washed, pressed, and folded.  Whenever I needed money, and it seems I needed it often, I would ask my mom to give me some.  Her response was always the same: “Bring me my pocketbook.”

I learned at a very early age that a woman’s pocketbook was a wonderful thing.  They have everything in there, from paper clips to super glue.  However, I also learned not to go poking around in them for the very simple reason that they are impossible to navigate.  More than once I have gotten lost in there.  My mom, however, always knew where everything was in her purse. How she knew, I never figured out, and, although I could never find her billfold, she always located it.

What, you may be wondering, does rummaging around in my mom’s purse have to do with today’s devotional?   How could there ever be a connection between Psalm 119 and my mother’s pocketbook?  Well, actually the two have quite a bit in common.  Psalm 119:11 reads, “I have hidden your word in my heart. that I might not sin against you.”  David’s message is very clear in this passage from his longest psalm.    We must hide God’s word in our hearts and make it a part of our daily lives.  We must be able to retrieve it at a moment’s notice, to be able to find the hidden treasures and the wonderful promises God has made to us all.

When God’s word is securely hidden in our hearts, when it becomes a part of who we are, when it penetrates to the deepest levels of our being, then we will indeed have buried treasure.  We can tap this resource at any time, in any situation, and draw upon it for strength, comfort, assurance, and help.  We hide God’s word because it is precious and of infinite worth.  Just as we base our physical lives upon the treasures hidden in our bank accounts, so must we base our spiritual lives upon the treasures God’s word hidden in our hearts.

At any given moment, most people can tell you how much money they have in the bank or in a stock portfolio.  However, most of us would be hard-pressed to give an accurate balance of our knowledge of God’s word.  In fact, most of us are severely lacking in this area. 

If we believe God’s word is our source of strength, knowledge, and the basis upon which we build our relationship with him, doesn’t it make sense to hoard as much of it as possible?  Doesn't it make sense to hide this treasure, to bury it deep in our hearts and guard it with all diligence?  Remember, Jesus himself said, “For where you treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew6:21).

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es, when I needed some money, a Band-Aid, or a cough drop, I always asked my mom for help.  She always asked for her purse because whatever I needed at the time was in there.  God’s word is the same.  Everything we need is contained inside.  However, if we never read it, it we never store it, if we never hide it deep inside, we won’t have enough of it or of him to sustain us in our time of need.  So, how much hidden treasure is there in your life?  If its secret hiding place were discovered, would you be rich or poor?