It is said that there is a treasure hunt activity that takes place in a city called Seattle in Washington State, but it has no real treasure to find. All you get at the end of this treasure hunt is bragging rights over fellow participants. The origin of treasure hunting was mostly done for archeological purposes. Seekers would sometimes find the said treasure while others died looking, often leaving their life’s work to be inherited by fellow archeologists or museums. Unlike the treasure seeking that only leaves bragging rights or the one that consumes your years and reveals no treasure at the end, the kind of treasure we seek, is found and kept for eternity.
And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. KJV
Many of us are familiar with the promise in but the danger of reading just portions of certain scriptures, especially those that require application, is that you miss the principle that puts to effect the oracle in question. For example, our theme scripture informs us of the kind of seeking that has a promissory note of effectual results. Seeking that yields result is the seeking that involves the heart and the psychological relevance of the ‘heart’ alluded to, refers more to the intellectual and volitional concerns of an individual rather than the emotional ones.
If you have a twelve year old daughter who speaks maturely, you will not give her into marriage simply because she sounds mature as there are still other aspects involved for her to become a wife. If you have a ten year old son, you wouldn’t put him on the wheel of your truck simply because you have seen him play well with his toy trucks. The same is with God. Scripture is the Word of God. It is also alive, quick, powerful and double edged and a sword availed in the hands of one whose mind is unsound can cause a lot of damage. Involving the heart in the search for the treasures in scripture is the ultimate sacrifice that a believer can give His Maker. It requires that you put your will to use, that it be bendable, corrigible, contemplative and most importantly transformative for your sake. If one takes it out of context, not only can it kill them but can mislead those that are submitted to them in one way or another, whether it be a congregation or those within a household.
Why Scripture Would Not Open To A Believer
Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you. KJV
As illustrated in our first example, some treasure hunters do so for the pleasure of having bragging rights even if they find no treasure. There are believers, who by reason of hardened heart, cannot connect, understand nor engage with scripture as others that are broken before God. It is possible to read scripture that you may have eloquence of speech when you argue certain matters. Ministers, the story given to us in is a depiction of God’s provision to a ministry which He has called and which is empowering people through sound teaching of the Word.
An empowered church-goer can never need to have their hand twisted to respond to the needs of the ministry they ascribe to. In keeping the people overnight, Jesus knew that after giving them spiritual food, it was also important to feed their bodies so that they may be strengthened to do even what they heard. That is why twisting the arms of your flock to give is a radical mistake that defiles the call upon your life. Believers, it is for our sake that the scriptures were written, that we may be instructed, that through their patience and their encouragement – we may have hope
The intentionality of the seeker, be it for the teacher or the believer, is to the end that each encounters the spirit and the life at work in the Word – and that each carries such treasures as one who has access to the Kingdom without limitation. Child of God, only this way can each one of us respond accordingly to the great commission given unto us.
