"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal." (Matthew 6:19-20)

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.” — Matthew 6:19-20

This is a passage that my wife and I have been struggling lately: not that we value possessions or money over experience, family, and love, but rather that, despite this passage, we have accumulated a great deal of possessions over the course of our lives, and quite literally find ourselves in need of a place to store them.

Since my last Running in Faith, Joanna and I have come a long way in our house-buying process. We chose a house that we intended to make our home, drew up contracts, lined up inspections, and were preparing to bring together our down payment when unfortunate circumstances forced the sellers to cancel the deal. After so much preparation, we were back to square one.

This was disheartening. We were extremely excited about turning that little townhouse in Lawrenceville's Village into a home, and it was not only disappointing to lose it so far into the process, but a bit nerve-wracking as well. Suddenly the months remaining on our lease, which seemed ample time to find a home, had transformed into a matter of mere weeks.

Through the stress and worry, we have tried to keep Jesus' words in Matthew in mind: that possessions, homes, and all manner of objects one can own, in the grand scheme of things, don't really matter all that much. Still, we need a place to live, and so we focus on Jesus' words from only several verses later in Matthew:

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?' — Matthew 6:25-26

God will provide us all that we need, if we only trust in him. When we remember that, we have nothing to fear.

Dear Lord, Teach us to trust in you to provide us with all that we need. Help us to store up treasures in heaven, where they cannot be destroyed. In Jesus' name, Amen

Contributed by Michael
Monday August 24 2015
Liturgical Year B: Week 39
Liturgical Color: Green
Sunday Gospel reading: Proper16
Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost