Finding Treasures in God’s Word

I love the ocean. I grew up on the west coast of Scotland by the largest and deepest coastal waters in the British Isles. I spent most of my summers exploring the rocks and caves along the coastline.

I would walk along the edge of the water with my bucket in hand and my eyes focused intently on the wet sand. And what treasures I found!

Bits of broken colored glass polished smooth by the sea and the sand

Shells of all shapes and sizes

Sneakers . . . usually just one of the pair

Legos

Rubber ducks (I still have fifteen of them)

I’d take treasures like these home, clean them off, and put them into a little brown suitcase I kept under my bed.

One day, though, I found a real treasure. I had walked the length of the shore up to the harbor wall and back to where my nana was sitting.

“Nana, can I just have five more minutes?” I asked. “I might have missed something.”

“Just five minutes,” she said. “It’ll be getting dark soon.”

I walked to the edge of the water and looked to my left, then to my right, and something sparkling in the last of the sunlight caught my eye. I bent over and saw, half-buried in the sand, a diamond engagement ring! Long story short . . . I turned it in to the police station, no one claimed the ring, it was returned to me, and I carefully placed it in the little brown suitcase beside my rubber ducks.

Now, years later, I think of that afternoon at the shore and appreciate more profoundly that God has treasures for us if we will persevere in our search. It’s easy to read a few Bible verses and think we’re done for the day, but we miss so much when we don’t slow down, revisit our steps, and look for the treasure God always has for us in His Word.

You see, Jesus is waiting to meet us in the pages of Scripture. And His jewels of peace, grace, and love are far more valuable than anything the world can offer.

Slow down as you read the pages of Scripture so you don’t miss any of the treasures Jesus has for you today.

Five Minutes in the Word

Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!

Psalm 27:14 ESV

Our soul waits for the LORD; he is our help and our shield. For our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name.

Psalm 33:20–21 ESV

I am counting on the LORD; yes, I am counting on him. I have put my hope in his word. I long for the Lord more than sentries long for the dawn, yes, more than sentries long for the dawn.

Psalm 130:5–6

Hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.

Romans 8:24–26 ESV

The LORD waits to be gracious to you, and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you. For the LORD is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for him.

Isaiah 30:18 ESV