A Lesson from the Lottery

"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." 

 (Matthew 6:19-21)

This morning the radio announced that two people had won the BIG lottery.  One was from Washington, and the other from Idaho.  I couldn't help for just a moment (really, that is all it was!) to be a little envious. I mentioned it to Sue as Josiah was getting ready to head out the door to school, and we were talking about it together.  Josiah wanted to know what I would do if I won $300 million - what would I buy with it? I told him I didn't really know - that is a lot of money and sometimes having that much of it can make your life much more difficult than easy.  Josiah promptly told us how if he won the money, he would go out and buy lots of video games.  Of course, I wasn't real pleased with that response, so we talked a little more about it. It's tough when your dad is a pastor.

But, then I realized I am not that much different in my thinking.  I have a heavenly Father who offers me infinitely more than any lottery could supply, and so often my desires are so earthly and temporary.  My flesh craves things that will not last, and wll rust and fade and lose their shine. O how I long to have as my greatest desire that which reflects the brilliance of eternal glory.  When will I learn that I have already become rich beyond all earthly measure in what really matters?  My prayer this morning was that God would give me a heart that sees beyond the glitter of this world so that I can embrace the glory of heaven.