|
Trinkets
and Treasures
Trudi
Hall of Baytown, TX, has told of an experience that
she and her husband shared on a recent trip:
There
was a man that Keith and I met last year on a ship we
took from Barcelona, Spain to Galveston, Texas.
The ship crew was handing out little “Monopoly”
dollars (fake bills from the board game) for every
activity one participated in on-board. The
“dollars” could then be redeemed in the gift shop
for over-priced cheesy trinkets.
While
we took every opportunity to go ashore and experience
the beauty, history, and culture of Europe, and look
up long lost friends along the way, this fellow was
like a gerbil on a wheel, running from shuffleboard to
ping-pong, collecting his "dollars."
He missed out on Alecante, Malaga, the Canary Islands,
and the Bahamas, but I'm sure he polished his miniature
golf skills along the way.
In
the end, we have wonderful memories of our time
together, a strengthened relationship, and a bit more
understanding of the history of the world.
He
has a backpack with the ship's logo on it.
While
not all of our opportunities will be as thrilling as
our ocean journey, I believe that each one affords us
the opportunity to use it for our growth and blessing,
or squander it.
The
man with the Monopoly dollars is not the only one who
gets focused on “trinkets” and misses out on the
REAL treasures of life...
The world has NOTHING to offer except trinkets, for the things of this
world are only temporary
(2 Corinthians 4:18; 1 John 2:17).
The REAL treasures of life are spiritual
and eternal
(2 Corinthians 4:18).
These treasures are enjoyed in a right
relationship with God through His Son, Jesus Christ.
Even
though we were lost in sin, God sent His Son to die on
the cross to pay the price for our sins (Romans
5:8; Ephesians 1:7).
Through Him we discover the REAL treasures of
forgiveness, hope, and eternal life.
These treasures belong only to children of God.
When we by faith
in His Son (Acts 16:30-31), turn from our sins in repentance
(Acts 17:30-31), confess
Him before men (Romans 10:9-10), and are baptized
into Christ for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38), we
are “born” into the family of God and become heirs
of an eternal inheritance (Romans 8:16-17).
As long as we remain faithful to our Heavenly
Father, He has promised to give us these REAL,
SPIRITUAL TREASURES.
Don’t
be duped by the cheesy trinkets that the world has to
offer. Discover
the real, lasting treasures that are found in a saving
relationship with God.
Won’t
YOU
accept His offer on His terms?
David
A. Sargent, Minister
Church of Christ at Creekwood
1901 Schillinger Rd. S.
Mobile, Alabama 36695
To
Subscribe to "Living Water"
send a blank e-mail to:
HTML version: subscribe-livingwater@lyris.dundee.net
TEXT version: subscribe-livingwater-text@lyris.dundee.net
Follow
this link to locate the church of Christ nearest you: www.churchzip.com
Archived issues of "Living Water" can be accessed from our website
at: www.creekwoodcc.org
|
