My child, listen to what I say, and treasure my commands. Tune your ears to wisdom, and concentrate on understanding. Cry out for insight, and ask for understanding. Search for them as you would for silver; seek them like hidden treasures. Then you will understand what it means to fear the Lord, and you will gain knowledge of God (Proverbs 2:1-5 NLT).
Before my son Ryan left for his first year of college, our friend Gary gave him Rick Warren’s book The Purpose Driven Life. What Ryan didn’t know was that Gary had hidden a fifty-dollar bill between the covers.
Almost every time I talked with Ryan, I asked, “Have you started reading The Purpose Driven Life?” He didn’t understand why I was so interested.
Of course my desire was for him to learn the valuable lessons taught there, but I was also excited about the surprise that awaited him when he finally flipped through the pages. I didn’t want him to give away or discard the book and miss out on the gift hidden within. Eventually, several months later, he discovered the fifty dollars and rejoiced in his find.
Better yet for us, our Bibles are filled with priceless treasures ready to be uncovered. Gold nuggets of truth to empower us. Words of wisdom. Direction to guide our lives. Encouragement to keep us on the right path. Comfort, hope, and insight. Knowledge of God. But we’ll never realize these riches unless we open the Book and dig in.
I want to access my treasure trove rather than let it gather dust. How about you?
God, thank you for the many treasures that await me in your Word.
Twila Belk, aka The Gotta Tell Somebody Gal, is a writer and speaker who loves braggin’ on God. Her latest book, a one-year devotional, is Raindrops from Heaven: Gentle Reminders of God’s Power, Presence, and Purpose.