Storing Up Treasures
I love LTC for many reasons. One aspect is meeting new people from around the PNW and reconnecting with others we may only see once a year. There is also the excitement of participating in an event with so much energy. Combine this with the nerves and awkwardness of young people displaying their skills and talents, some that they have been working on for months and even years. Sweaty palms, queasy stomachs, racing heartbeats; it is glorious!
Under the pretext of competition, there is something that is infinitely more important. It is having young people see a model of faith lived out and displayed by peers. The world of vibrant faith is isolating, as Jesus described in his sermon, which he presented on a mountainside.
Matthew 5:11-12 “Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. 12 “Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in this same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
When you exhibit your faith externally, people will notice, and many times they will cringe and despise you in response to your outward display. Yet, these young people can, for one weekend, see that they are not alone. They can experience that many more like them are holding onto their faith. It can be a significant boost for their spiritual lives. Much like Elijah when he is hiding from Jezebel.
1 Kings 19:10, 18 “[Elijah] replied, “I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”… 18 [The LORD said to him] Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel–all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and whose mouths have not kissed him.”
For Elijah, this was a life-changing, faith-strengthening event, and I know it is the same for so many of our youth who wander school halls filled with contradictory and conflicting beliefs. They sit among friends who have “bowed down to Baal” who pay lip service to a culture that is hostile to God. They feel all alone. However, for one weekend, they see others who worship and revere the God of Heaven’s Armies. And I love it!
And yet perhaps my favorite thing about the weekend is that these young people are pursuing God’s word. From Bible Bowl to speeches, singing, drama, Bible readers theater, and signing, all are dependent and focused on recounting God’s word. And whether they acknowledge it or not, they have tucked a piece of this inside their heart. Through these exhibitions, they have transferred bits of knowledge from their short-term to their long-term memory. We should notice and celebrate it because it is life-altering. Through the prophet Isaiah, God states:“The grass withers and the flowers fade, but the word of our God stands forever.” (Isaiah 40:8). Through events like LTC, we are placing something eternal within their hearts. Through their dedication and actions, they are storing up for themselves treasures for future experiences.
Our adversary can quickly destroy faith, manipulating this world to follow his direction. So it is a challenge to remain faithful. And I will assert that it is humanly impossible, but by consuming God’s word and hiding it in our hearts, equipping ourselves to defeat our opponent.
Psalm 119:9-11 “How can a young person stay pure? By obeying Your word. 10 I have tried hard to find You–don’t let me wander from Your commands. 11 I have hidden Your word in my heart, that I might not sin against You.”
If we can get our children to reflect on these thoughts, we have placed eternity within their hearts…and leading them toward life everlasting. I also want to challenge those who may not directly resemble children anymore. Start memorizing scripture, finding one that you would like to store inside your heart for future referencing. I guarantee that this simple action blesses you more than you can ever imagine.
By hiding God’s word within our hearts, He is never far from any of us, as the psalmist continues. Even when we wander away, He is there because of these treasures within our hearts.
Psalm 119:176 “I have wandered away like a lost sheep; come and find me, for I have not forgotten your commands.”