Hunting for Treasure
by Sylvia Bambola
The world is busy looking for
treasure. I was a treasure seeker myself, once. Oh, I don’t mean the kind that
long-ago pirates with parrots on their shoulders packed in heavy metal chests
then buried in uncharted islands. I’m talking about the treasure people seek to
make them feel safe and secure; to make them feel valued, significant and
important; the treasure they seek to fill the void that only God can fill. Things
like financial security, material possessions, pleasure, comfort, success,
fame, a good reputation, happy homes and marriages, peace . . . well, you fill
in the blank.
Obviously many of these things aren’t
bad in themselves and in fact actually desirable and commendable. Who doesn’t
want a happy home and marriage, for instance? But the trouble with treasure is this: “where
your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” (Luke 12:34) So if your heart
is filled only with all your “wants” chances are you will become disappointed
and perhaps even become embittered.
Being adopted, one of the greatest
“treasures” I sought was to be married and have a happy, loving family. I did
meet and marry a wonderful man. So far so good. A few years later we were ready
to have children. But when our first child, Vincent, was born with Down
Syndrome and then died many months later, my world was rocked. That which I
held most dear was suddenly taken away. “What was life all about, anyway?” I
asked. It suddenly made no sense. But
oh, how our loving God uses moments like this! In the vacuum, in the midst of
my searching and seeking and studying various religions, I found Him! Standing
right there beside me all along, patiently waiting for me to seek the greatest
treasure of all. And that changed
everything. 2 Corinthians 4:7 tells us that “we have this treasure in earthen
vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.” How
wonderful this is! It’s the “treasure” that’s capable of filling every void if only
we allow God to do it.
I wish I could tell you that after I
came to know Jesus personally life became a fulfillment of all my dreams, but I
can’t. Like everyone else on planet earth, I’ve had my share of trials and
tribulation. But here’s the difference. When your treasure truly is the Lord,
even the losses and hardships of life are bearable, and what’s more they have
the awesome power to conform us into something beautiful—the very image of
Christ, though not as fast and as complete as I’d like. I’m smiling here,
because aren’t we all like clay between the Potter’s hands? And though our
progress may be slow we can be encouraged because God promises in Philippians
1:6 that “he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day
of Jesus Christ.” So He’s never going to give up on us. Never! For my part I’m
so glad He’s still working on me!
This whole concept of treasure is
one of the reasons I wrote Rebekah’s Treasure. It, too, is a story about
treasure. And though the story is set in 70 A.D. the heroine, Rebekah must face
many of the challenges we face today in our violent, chaotic world. And in the
end, like all of us, she and other characters in the novel must decide where
their treasure lies. And make no mistake, this is not always easy. In fact it’s
often a hard fought battle with the question always being: Will we seek God’s
way or our own? Fame comes and goes. Finances can be shaken and depleted. A
good reputation can be lost, even undeservedly. Pleasure is fleeting. And we
can lose those we love. But the treasure of God’s presence in our lives, His
peace, His joy remains as long as we abide in Him.
But here’s the kicker. Not only is
God our treasure, but we are His treasure as well! Think about that.
The very God who created the universe views us as His treasure. Once we understand that, there’s nothing we won’t be
able to face in life.
May God become
the true treasure He is in each of our lives.
About Sylvia Bambola:
Sylvia Bambola was born in Romania
but lived her early years in Germany ,
a Germany
still reeling from the devastation of World War II. At age seven she relocated
with her adopted military family and saw the Statue of Liberty and America
for the first time. But the memory of those years in Germany lingered and was the
inspiration behind her novel, Refiner’s
Fire, which won a Silver Angel Award,
and was a Christy Finalist.
Life as an “army brat” gave her the opportunity to live in
several states, including Hawaii .
Then came nursing school in New York
after which she married and began a family. Raising two children and being the
wife of a corporate executive made for a busy life. So did working in marketing
for a telecommunications company, then a medical software company.
Her first novel, A
Vessel of Honor, written under the pen name of Margaret Miller, garnered a
Small Press Editor’s Choice Award and was seriously considered for production
as a television movie.
Bambola is the author of six published novels, lives in
sunny Florida
and has two grown children. She’s been a guest speaker at Women’s Aglow and
various church functions, is a Bible study teacher at her church, loves
gardening and is learning to play the guitar.
Links:
Website/blog: http://www.sylviabambola.com
Twitter:
@sylviabambola
Book Cover:
Rebekah’s Treasure Blurb:
Forced to flee war-torn Jerusalem in 70 A.D., Rebekah and her husband, Ethan, each
take something of value: Rebekah, the
cup of the Last Supper; Ethan, a copper scroll detailing the whereabouts of a
vast Temple
treasure. Ahead, separation and danger face them as each tries to survive. But
it’s not only external forces that could keep them apart forever but internal
ones as they struggle to discover where their true treasure lies.
Links to Rebekah’s Treasure:
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