Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples. (Exodus 19:5 ESV)
Treasure
One of my favorite childhood games is called sardines. This game is simply a reverse of hide-and-seek. One person hides, and the rest of the players try to find that hiding person. Perhaps it is too deep a look into my own insecurities, but it feels really good to have the whole crowd looking for me.
In that game, I am the treasure.
Most of us yearn to be someone’s treasure. We like to have our jokes laughed at. We like it when our friends smile at us. We like being chosen, enjoyed, sought after, and valued.
God tells us here that we can be God’s treasure.
There is one way, only one way, to be God’s treasure. God describes it as obeying His voice and keeping His covenant. And how do we do that? Not by achieving or even striving for perfect obedience. We’ve already failed to do that. But instead, God provided an exchange. His Son, Jesus, lived a perfect life. And that perfect life gets exchanged for our imperfect life.
In other words, the way to be God’s treasure is to accept Jesus’ obedience exchange plan.
I am God’s treasure, whether I am anyone else’s treasure or not. Because of Jesus. I am God’s treasure, even when I am feeling untreasured by my community. Because of Jesus. I am God’s treasure, and in that thought is found peace and joy! Because of Jesus.
Everyone wants to be a treasure. But few folk are.
We’re peculiar, we are God’s treasure.