Choose your master! Choose well!

Jesus was speaking to a multitude of people over two thousand years ago about heart treasure when He told them, "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth." (Matthew 6:24) He had just been talking about heart treasure and how our heart follows what we treasure. He comforts the people with the assurance that God will provide food, drink and clothing to them (and us) just as He does for the birds of the sky.

I have been on a journey for 20+ years trying to understand this truth. I have not been particularly wise about some money decisions. I still have some debt that needs to be paid. It is debt that God's Word offered council to never owe, but I either did not know or listen to His council, depending on my age and the point at which I acquired the debt. But the veracity of the promises of God are not contingent on my wisdom. It is a fact. God will fill my needs and yours if we first seek Him.

I have been trying to decide whether or not to take a class offered by a friend of mine to grow in my business. I have really been in a quandry about it. You might recall a post on the blog a while back about the boundary lines in my life. About satisfaction with your lot in life. Sometimes opportunities to grow are built on a foundation of making one unsatisfied with where they are to motivate them to move to a better place. So the old battle has been going back and forth in my mind for a few months, trying to discern what it is God would have me do. I asked Him for a specific scripture answer to my decision about beginning that class tonight.

And do you know what? He did. I went to my Bible study this morning, and there in the lesson written about giving was first a lesson about money. And of course, about the heart. The very scriptures He used to begin setting me free from this battle 20+ years ago He gave to me again this morning. I was amazed. I was overwhelmed. I wept. I really wept. I denounced the enemy for his lies once and for all.

And now, you're really not going to believe what I saw.

I looked out the window in front of me at a tree that had a year ago bloomed like never before only to die suddenly a few days later. It is still in the ground because my husband had hoped that perhaps it really wasn't dead and would bloom again this year. Behind the tree in the distance farther out in the yard was a beautiful blooming red bud tree (which we had planted as small sticks a few years ago). I looked through the dead tree and saw the living one. It was like a picture of the two masters. One gives life. One gives nothing because it is dead. I was amazed. I was overwheled at my faithful God who confirms His message so that I know without a doubt what I have heard from Him.

And now, you're really, really not going to believe what I saw.

There is a picture on the wall beside the window I was looking through. There was a reflection in the glass of that picture of a tree in our backyard that has also died this year. Behind it, I could see in the distance another beautiful, blooming red bud tree. It took my breath away as I realized I was seeing the picture again of life and death. Life to trust and treasure God and death in the treasure of money because it has no life. Immediately my mind was filled with "you have enclosed me behind and before, and laid Your hand on me." Psalm 139 is an amazing Psalm about how God knows you. Take time to read it and believe that He knows how to quiet your heart and lead your way. Would you want to be anywhere else?

Don't waste your life trying to serve two masters. Seek the treasure of God with all your heart, and truly, all the things you need will be provided.

...and now I've seen Him use our dying trees! God uses whatever He chooses on this earth to teach His children! I LOVE my daddy!