Eternal Treasures

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. – (Luke 12:34, NIV)

Your heart will be where your treasure is. – (Luke 12:34, ERV)

Your treasure will be stored in the heavens, and since your treasure is there, your heart will be lodged there as well. – (Luke 12:34, VOICE)

Our greatest gifts are not things at all, but rather include life and love and hope. Each of these things come from God. We must keep perspective that He is our greatest treasure, and every good thing in our life comes from Him. When we have an attitude of gratitude for who God is and how He loves, we maintain perspective that our greatest treasure is in Him, both now and for all eternity. May we ever keep our eyes on the Lord and recognize that our true treasures are those which are eternal in Christ.

Lord, help us recall,

Where true treasure lies;

Hope and life in You,

True love realized.

Every good thing,

That come in our lives;

Reflect back to You,

Good exemplified.

Teach us to treasure,

All that is from You;

Our hope forever,

Each day we’re made new.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that our treasures are found in You. Thank You that You give us life, love and hope that are forever in You. Forgive us for the times that we lose proper perspective and place too much value on the temporary. Teach us to hold all of our hope in You, for true treasure lies in the promises You provide and life everlasting with You. Show us how to love those around us in ways that point their hearts to You. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we praise You forever and treasure who You are and all hope that is found in You alone. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

…Put your hope in the Lord both now and forevermore. – Psalm 131:3

Time to Treasure

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. – (Luke 12:34, NIV)

The place where your treasure is, is the place you will most want to be, and end up being. – (Luke 12:34, MSG)

Your treasure will be stored in the heavens, and since your treasure is there, your heart will be lodged there as well. – (Luke 12:34, VOICE)

Our treasure is what we place value upon and where we spend our time, talent, and resources. Throughout the last year, I have spent more time at home than ever before. This whole pandemic situation has been a catalyst to investing more into my family, home and community. It has required intentional focus to navigate life at home with three people and two dogs that are always present. I have always treasured the stillness of early mornings, so my time alone with God has not changed nor been compromised. My kids choose to be present and help out with the puppies as they navigate their own way through college online. As for the pups, who could help but invest time and resources into loving them well? It is not all easy, but it is indeed worthwhile. May we treasure the gifts that God has given, and prioritize praising Him for His goodness and grace. May we pursue the Lord and His best for us, ever placing our treasure in Him.

These treasured moments,

God glimpses through time;

Intentional acts,

of love being kind.

For as we value,

God’s gifts here on earth;

We discover peace,

And to Him, our worth.

Value exceeding,

All that we have known;

A promised future,

Of glories unknown.

May we spend our gifts,

Time talents and trust;

Investing in things,

That don’t turn to dust.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You have shown us what we are meant to treasure. Thank You that loving You and loving those around us is the greatest investment we could ever make. Forgive us for the times that we have squandered our time, talent and resources on things that will not last. Teach us to prioritize and be intentional. Show us how to love You and those around us the way that You intended. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we use our time, talents and resources to love and to honor You. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever. – 1 Chronicles 16:34

Where Treasure Lies

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. – (Luke 12:34, NIV)

Your heart will be where your treasure is. – (Luke 12:34, ERV)

Where you deposit your treasure, that is where your thoughts will turn to – and your heart will long to be there also. – (Luke 12:34, TPT)

 

My heart, as I have discovered more deeply than ever before, is for God and people. Each morning, my priority continues to be to seek the Lord and spend time in His word to set the tone for the day. What I miss most in this time of “stay at home”, is the ability to get out and be with people whom I enjoy most. I think many of us took for granted, and we are now finding out, how much we truly treasure the luxury of navigating a “normal” day among a vast array of individuals. My time with my husband and children has been really good, and I am grateful for the time together that would likely not have occurred otherwise; yet I struggle with the sedentary staying in place, when I am accustomed to walking about campus before school, during my planning, at lunch, and when the school day closes. Each walk about would result in friendly exchanges with different staff members and students, that I value and enjoyed each day. Now, I am often seated in silence for hours at a time, as I attempt to navigate the new, eagerly waiting for the next collaborative Zoom meeting, so that I will see and work together with my friends and colleagues. My boys are present in my work space with me until their work for the day is complete, then they disappear to do their own thing, while the other two members of our household are essential workers, and spend their days away from home. All this to say, though I was intentional most of the time to say hello or at least smile and wave to people as I passed by, I imagine that I will treasure the freedom to do so all the more when the stay at home orders are lifted. In the meantime, I will look for ways to reach out and connect with people as they come to mind, and continue to lean on the Lord for strength and sanity. May we all place our treasure in the gifts of people whom God has given us, and in the Giver Himself.

 

May we seek treasure,

Things of the most worth;

Not things, but people,

Greatest gifts on earth.

Love God and people,

The greatest command;

Purpose intended,

What the Lord had planned.

For what we value,

Where our hearts are found;

Let’s choose what matters,

So good may abound.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You show us where our treasures lie, as we look at what has our time, attention and affection. Thank You that You treasure people first, and show us how to do the same. Forgive us for the times that our priorities get out of order, and we set aside what matters most. Teach us to seek You first in all things, so that we may live and love according to Your perfect plan. Show us how to love those around us in ways that make Your goodness and grace tangible. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we seek You first so that we may love You and love those around us in the same way that You love us. Amen.

 

© Shannon Elizabeth Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

 

He answered, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and love your neighbor as yourself.” – Luke 10:27

The Waste in Worry

Can all of your worries add a single moment to your life? – (Luke 12:25, NLT)

None of you can any time to your life by worrying about it. – (Luke 12:25, ERV)

And besides, what’s the use of worrying? What good does it do? Will it add a single day to your life? Of course not! – (Luke 12:25, TLB)

 

I am not a huge worrier, yet there are some things, based on previous experience, where I struggle to find faith. This month I have to have oral surgery for gum grafting. In my numerous prior experiences with dental visits requiring Novocain, I find reason for dread, as dentists cannot seem to keep my mouth numb throughout an entire procedure. Though I have tried to not even give the upcoming appointment much thought, as I have had plenty of wonderful distractions, it is clearly a point of concern when I wake to disturbing dreams about the process. My prayer is that by voicing my concerns to the surgeon at my consultation, my mind and heart will be put at peace and worry will not enter my thoughts again. Worry steals rest rather than returning remedy for what lies ahead. Instead, I have to place it in His hands and trust. May we release worry and fear into His hands, find peace and comfort in His care.

 

Worry’s a challenge, 

To choose to release;

Yet holding to it,

No good is increased.

Instead, we need give,

Our concerns to God;

Who’s greater than all,

His grace knows no flaws.

So, bring God all fears,

Place each in His hands;

He meets us with love,

Strength from Him to stand.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that we need not worry in You. Forgive us for allowing worry to remain in our hearts and minds, as no benefit is brought in through worry. Teach us to trust You more, even in the spaces where we have known discomfort or pain in the past, as each day and experience is new in You. Show us how to love those around us well, so that worry is released and peace is found. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we choose to place our worries in Your capable hands in exchange for the peace found in You alone. Amen.

 

© Shannon Elizabeth (Moreno) Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. – Matthew 6:34

The Voice of Truth

Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. – (Luke 12:7)

Our value is determined by God, not by man. He created us individually and intentionally. He knows us so intimately that He is aware of even the most minute detail about us. Our worth is not dictated by what others proclaim. The same God who does not forget even one of the sparrows, is very aware of each one of us. We need not fear, even in the most dire of circumstances, for our hope is secure for all of eternity when we place our trust in Him. No matter what comes in this life, nothing can take away from the eternal promises of God. This hope we hold is our safety and security both now and forevermore. May we embrace the goodness and grace of God, who knows and loves us so completely, that there is no detail about us that is not known by Him.

The hairs on our heads,

are numbered and known;

by God who is love,

wise King on the throne.

We need not hold fear,

we’re seen through His eyes;

counted and valued,

more than realized.

Our worth is not deemed,

by any mere man;

but rather by God,

made us with a plan.

Each with a purpose,

meant to go fulfill;

to embrace the Lord,

and pursue His will.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You know us individually and intimately. Thank You that You know every detail about us, and yet You love. Thank You that perfect love casts out fear. Thank You that our value is not determined by any person on this planet, but only by You, who created us with purpose. Forgive us for listening to the lies that people tell us about our worth, and help us to seek You to discover the truth. Lead us to love well, so that we pour into the lives of those around us, pointing them to the truth of who they are in You. May many come to know You as their Savior and King. Be glorified O God, as we seek You and trust You to lead us and guide us, and be the voice of truth in all things. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Moreno and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present.

Shout aloud and sing for joy. – Isaiah 12:6

Worth More

Despite how we feel, or how we are received by others, we are highly valued by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. – (Luke 12:7)

Jesus was speaking to His disciples to beware of the Pharisees, but not to fear. He pointed out that even the sparrows that were sold for mere coins, were not forgotten by God. God intimately knows each of us. He knit us and formed us in our mother’s womb. For each of us, the Lord has plans to prosper and not to harm us – a hope and a future. Though people can cause bodily harm, they cannot steal our soul. When we commit our hearts to Christ, we have the security and assurance of His presence now, and all of eternity in heaven. May we rest assured in the security of being intimately known by our loving Savior, who values each one of us, individually.

 

Intimately known,

and loved just the same;

by the Lord of all,

give praise to His Name.

Let’s not be afraid,

to Him we have worth;

He knew us before,

the day of our birth.

The number of hairs,

on our heads are known;

for Christ truly loves,

and calls us His own.

Let each heart rise up,

and give God all praise;

each day unto Him,

for all of our days.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that we are intimately known by You, and loved anyway. Thank You that in You, we have nothing to fear, as You do not forget any of Your created. Thank You that You value each one of us, not for what we have accomplished, but because we are Yours. Forgive us for our fearfulness and for our feelings that we are somehow forgotten or not covered and cared for. Teach us to trust You more, so that we might slow down and be still, giving our hearts opportunity to hear and acknowledge all that You are, and just how much You love us. Lead us to love others, as You so generously love each of us. May many come into a saving relationship with You. Be glorified Lord God, as we rise up in recognition of who You are, and the wonder of Your love for all. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Moreno and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present.

Shout aloud and sing for joy. – Isaiah 12:6

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

 

Intimately Known

Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than the sparrows. – (Luke 12:7)

 

“Our true value is God’s estimate of our worth, not our peers’. Other people evaluate and categorize us according to how we perform, what we achieve, and how we look. but God cares for us, as He does for all of His creatures, because we belong to Him. So we can face life without fear.” – (NIV footnotes for Luke 12:7)

 

We each are valued by God, not for what we have or have not done, but because we are His. He loves us to life, and sent His only Son to conquer death so that we might live. All that we have done, He knows, yet He still loves us the same. May we go forth in His great love, and love too, in His holy Name.

 

Intimately known,

and still loved the same;

of infinite worth,

in Christ’s holy Name.

Of whom shall we fear,

with God on our side;

Spirit ever near,

in us, He resides.

His love isn’t earned,

we can’t do a thing;

to make Him love more,

grace-filled offering.

He wants us to come,

to Him, as we are;

give Him everything,

our soul, mind and heart.

Our small gift of self,

He can truly bless;

beauty from ashes,

glory from our mess.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that we are known and loved by You. Thank You that with You, we need not be afraid. Forgive us for our fears, and help us to hold fast to the truth of Your power and presence in our lives. Teach us to trust You in all things and at all times, knowing that regardless of what we see, You are present, and You are in control. You have gone before us and You are by our side. Help us to go forth in love, as You so richly love us. May many come to know Your care and covering as we share of all that You have done in our lives. Be glorified, O God, as we seek to serve You in all that we say and do. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Moreno and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present.

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort. – 2 Corinthians 1:3