What do we value most?

For example, “Surging prices for fuel, groceries, mortgages and rents, insurance, healthcare and seemingly everything else are draining more dollars than ever before from household budgets” and “Australia has suffered the largest drop in living standards of any developed country”.

There is no doubt the economic outlook in our country is looking grim.

Yet, if we focus too much on the economic woes facing our nation, we will begin to think that the most important thing in life is our material contentment and financial security.

In Matthew 6:19 Jesus uses the term “treasures on Earth” to describe our worldly possessions that we highly value.

He reminds us that these things won’t last, so don’t go amassing great quantities of this earthly treasure.

Instead, “store up treasures in heaven” (v 20) where it will last forever.

Our heavenly treasure is safe and secure for eternity. Jesus wants us to “invest” in things that have spiritual value.

This means our relationship with God through Christ.

It means how we please God, how we love others, and how we let people know about how they can be right with God.

Broadly speaking, it means how we invest in our own spiritual growth.

That sort of “treasure” is far more valuable than anything we can own.

Jesus says it must occupy and captivate our daily lives more and more.

The truth is, we are captivated by what our inner desires are most focused on.

As Jesus puts it, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also”.

What do you treasure most today? The things of this Earth, or the things of heaven?

~ Contributed by Pastor Chris Taylor of the Deniliquin Baptist Church, on behalf of the Combined Churches of Deniliquin.