Mat 6:19-21 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

I heard it said once that if you look at a man’s checkbook you will also see his heart. During this current economic crisis, many people I have come into contact with share with me the struggles they are having because they have lost so much money. The stock market has taken a huge downturn, retirement accounts have lost substantial money, and people’s lives have been turned upside down. Not to mention the fact that we can no longer buy everything we want to satisfy all of our desires.

I encountered a gentleman a couple of days ago who is 74 years old. He owned a funeral home for forty years and sold it ten years ago and retired. He and his wife have been living a comfortable life… until recently. He shared with me that due to the changes in the economy his retirement income has dropped 70% over the past two years and he is an on call crew driver with a company that shuttles around railroaders. He’s 74 years old and working an on call schedule all hours of the day and night for minimum wage. How discouraging I thought… but I noticed that there was something about him that was different. He wasn’t grumbling about it, he wasn’t all ticked off, he was content and happy. He knows where his real treasure is stored and he understands that this temporary setback is nothing compared to the glory he will see in Heaven.

As I was driving home I began to think about where my heart is regarding this matter. I have never been very materialistic, and neither has my wife, so it is easy to convince myself that my heart is in the right place because I don’t have a lot of material possessions. But the more I prayed and thought about it the easier it was for me to see that my belongings are really only a part of the issue. The main theme that I get from Matthew 6:19-21 is “Where is my devotion?”

Am I using my limited time and resources solely to please myself or am I giving all that I am to the Lord and making deposits into my eternal bank account? The Lord knows I need food and clothing and shelter. Matthew 6:31-33 tells me that if I seek His kingdom first all of the things will be added to me.

Material things will come and go in my life and as long as my security, pleasure, and treasure are stored up in heaven, then no economic downturn, thief in the night, or even prosperity will cause my heart to stumble.

Thank you Lord for providing for all of my needs. Whether times are good or times are tough I choose to store up my treasure in Heaven rather than here on earth. Help me to remember that where my treasure is, there my heart will be also…