For three months, I spent several days a week cleaning out my parents’ home, getting it ready to sell.
During this time, I came across a lot of stuff. Over forty years of it. The stuff I emptied from the attic, basement, and the first garage went into a thirty-yard-long dumpster, which I filled to the brim. I still was not done. The stuff from the back garage filled another twenty-yard-long dumpster.
What I discovered with the contents of the dumpster was different phases of my parents’ life. When they entered these different phases, I’m sure this stuff meant a lot to them. The money invested in these various phases was well-meaning. These things kept them busy.
But now my parents have moved on in age. They could no longer live in their home. Their physical strength had waned and their interests changed. They left the remains of earlier ventures to die and collect dust. I'm sure they never thought this would be, but life happens, things change, and we move on.
On each trip to the dumpster, Jesus’ words reverberated in my mind. It forced me to ask, “Where am I storing my treasures?”
Jesus died for our sins so that one day, when our time on earth is finished, we can join Him in eternity.
On Sunday, many of us go to church to learn about Jesus, lay our sins at His feet, and accept His gift of salvation. But on Monday, our lives often don’t reflect what we’ve done. Sometimes, we invest in earthly things as if our life on earth will never end when we need to invest in heavenly things and store our treasures in heaven.
After the experience I’ve had, I am more determined to invest in my heavenly home and the things not of this earth. I hope to start my own cleaning process now that I am done with my parents and rid my life of the stuff that no longer matters.
Do you need to revisit where your treasures are stored? Make a heavenly shift.
(Photo courtesy of pixabay.)
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Sheryl M. Baker enjoys bringing hope and encouragement through God's Word. Her devotions have appeared in Light from the Word, The Secret Place, Power for Today, and christiandevotions.us. She is a contributing author to Yvonne Lehman’s books, Spoken Moments, More Christmas Moments, and Loving Moments. Sheryl lives in northwest Indiana with her husband Ben and spoiled cat Rex. Connect with Sheryl at sherylmbaker.wordpress.com or spunbythepotter.com.