What is More Precious Than Gold?

Prayer – Lord, You give us such practical teachings and spiritual guidance. Our values are so easily based on worldly views—like the value of gold and silver. We constantly hear that the stock market is up or down and the price of gold has risen or fallen—but that is a treasure that is not lasting and we can’t store up in heaven. What is more precious than gold? I’m feeling like Your love, Lord, is the most precious commodity of life—spiritually and physically. We have to share Your faith and love with others for it to really be of value, so give me wisdom to see opportunities to do just that—and fill me with the boldness of the Holy Spirit, like Peter, that I would speak up for You with joy. 

So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world. You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy. 1 Peter 1:6-8 NLT

 

Meditate. Breath in and out. Rejoice and be glad.

 

Jesus with His disciples at the Last Supper
Depicted at Richland Nazarene Church
Jesus broke the bread and blessed it.

Today is not the actual day of Passover this year, but it is the Maudy Thursday of Holy Week. This is the day that we traditionally think of Jesus celebrating the Last Supper with His disciples in the Upper Room. Leonardo Da Vinci painting his famous painting of the Last Supper depicted only the twelve disciples at the table with Jesus—but I imagine that some of His other close followers were present, too. Possibly some of the women, like Mary Magdelene, Martha and Mary, may have been there to help prepare and serve their dinner. They are not mentioned in any of the four gospel Jesus accounts of this Last Supper—but are frequently with Jesus and His disciples.

Soon afterward Jesus began a tour of the nearby towns and villages, preaching and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom of God. He took his twelve disciples with him, along with some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases. Among them were Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons; Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod's business manager; Susanna; and many others who were contributing from their own resources to support Jesus and his disciples. Luke 8:1-3 NLT

At this time Jesus was about to face His greatest trial and imminent death—but He relaxes with a great meal and shows His disciples a final example and the importance of being a servant to fellow believers. He washes the feet of the disciples. To have their teacher, their Rabbi, wash their feet must have been a humbling experience for them. Their faith would be tested in the coming hours and days—and what did they do when He was arrested?

Then Jesus said to the crowd, "Am I some dangerous revolutionary, that you come with swords and clubs to arrest me? Why didn't you arrest me in the Temple? I was there teaching every day. But this is all happening to fulfill the words of the prophets as recorded in the Scriptures." At that point, all the disciples deserted him and fled. Matthew 26:55-56 NLT

The disciples lacked faith in Jesus and ran away. They were probably afraid that they would be arrested, too! Are we ever like that? Filled with fear—not having faith in the Lord or in trusting Him to inspire us to do the right thing? We cannot see Jesus as His disciples did—but we can still believe. When we are tested, will our true faith show; will we rejoice and be glad? The choice is ours. Is gold or our faith in Jesus more precious?

 

Verse of Salvation ~ In that day the people will proclaim, "This is our God! We trusted in him, and he saved us! This is the LORD, in whom we trusted. Let us rejoice in the salvation he brings!" Isaiah 25:9

 

© 2024 Text, photos, and illustrations by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved. 

All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation unless otherwise noted. 

 New Living Translation (NLT) copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. 

Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Biblical search from Blue Letter Bible - http://v3.blueletterbible.org/search.cfm. 

 

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