Treasures in Heaven

I was thinking about stuff the other day, as I always do, and the thought occured to me about "treasures in heaven".

Matthew 6:18-20

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.

The first year I went to OIL, I attended the theology tract. This was back when I listened to about 3 or 4 sermons a day, for fun. Pastor Paul Kim was the speaker and he talked about the doctrine of rewards. Ultimately, our main reward is God's love. The things that we did on earth stored up more of God's love.

This explanation never really jived with me. But I couldn't think of a better interpretation of "treasures in heaven" until now.

I propose to you, that these "treasures in heaven" are relationships. I don't think it's a conincidence that God emphasises a strong relationship between himself and his people. He doesn't care about the things that you do or the items that you bring to sacrifice. He cares about how strong his relationship is with you. It's no wonder that God uses marriage as the analogy of his relationship to his Church, his people.

If you look at the two greatest commandments, first, love God with all your heart, then love your neighbor as yourself, that, in its essence is relationships.

When you look at the relationshpis you have with other people, what is it that makes them meaningful? It's not the quantity but the quality. That is why fame is so lonely. Sure, millions of people recognize you and want to around you and with you, but none of them really know who you are. The relationships there are not only fake but one sided. The fans know everything about the famous, but the famous no nothing about the individual fans.

The other reason why I think relationships are "treasures in heaven" is because we are eternal beings. Once we die, you will either live eternally with your creator, or live in scorn still trying to live your own life. Heaven and Hell, if you will. The relationships we build on earth will carry over to heaven because we will carry over to heaven.

The treasure is the joy of worshiping together as brothers and sisters before the one that has created us and the one that has saved us. I, for one, look forward to that and find that really meaningful and worthwhile.