Wednesday, February 15, 2023

When I was about three or four, I loved to make piles. I gathered things from all around the house—art supplies, blankets, stuffed animals, books, dresses—anything that caught my fancy. I shoved them into pillow forts or filled up my toy shopping cart. My mom wasn’t exactly a fan of this hobby of mine.

Over the years, I’ve learned that collecting “stuff” is definitely not limited to children. People look for all sorts of things—shoes, clocks, teacups, cards, shells, photos, records, stamps. Finding these little treasures brings us joy. Estate sales and antique malls are places for searching, not just browsing.

Matthew 6:19-20
¹⁹ “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. ²⁰ Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal.”

Everything we accumulate on this earth is vulnerable. It can be taken away or broken, and when we die, we can’t bring any of it with us. However, there are three good and wonderful things that will last forever, unable to be destroyed or stolen from us:

1 Corinthians 13:13
Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.

• Faith—trust and confidence in God.
• Hope—the expectation and longing for God.
• Love—the connection and relationship we have with God.

Faith, hope, and love aren’t limited to extraordinary acts. Faith can help you move mountains or invite a friend to church. Hope can give you wings like eagles or just get you through a rough day. Love can inspire you to sacrifice for someone else or simply cheer them on.

However, unlike faith and hope, when we store up love, others are included. We are able to invest that heavenly treasure in the people around us as well as in ourselves. God’s love for us can’t help but overflow into the lives of others.

1 Thessalonians 3:12
And may the Lord make your love for one another and for all people grow and overflow, just as our love for you overflows.

I still enjoy collecting physical things, typically books and beach glass now. But I want to collect heavenly things even more. We can collect this treasure by making a difference in someone’s life or meeting with encouraging friends. We find it by looking for God and going where he calls us.

Let’s store up treasures that will last forever.

Questions:
What do you like to collect? How can you spend time this week gathering the things that will last forever? What is one simple choice you can make towards faith, hope, or love? How can you let love overflow from you into others?

Next Steps:
Find ways to store up some faith, hope, and love. Try to make it a habit, investing in the things that will last forever each day. If you haven’t yet, find a Group, go through GrowthTrack, or join the DreamTeam. These are great ways to invest love in others.

The next time you are hunting for a physical treasure, let it remind you of the treasures you are storing up in heaven.

Prayer:
Father, thank you for the promise that faith, hope, and love are eternal. They cannot be broken or taken away from me because they are all gifts from you. Show me where to find you and how to store up the treasures you have given me. Let your love overflow in me and spill out into everyone I meet. Amen.

This post was written by Lydia Snyder. Lydia has been a story-lover for as long as she can remember, often found reading books or writing. She is thrilled to be making a difference by inspiring others to take part in the best story ever – God’s story. Lydia lives with her three wonderful siblings and two amazing parents.