“I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.” (Phil 3:12 NIV)

One of my closest cousins lost consciousness one day. Completely unaware of what was happening in the conscious realm, she experienced something unique and delightful. She felt the full extent of God’s love, a love she never experienced before, a love she now hungers to experience again. She felt completely and thoroughly accepted. She was His child, and He wanted her to come home.

When she came back to consciousness, she went looking all over the world for a man with the same qualities as the One she experienced, but to her bitter disappointment, she has not yet found him. She isn’t interested in what she called “religious blabla”, and she continues her search, looking in all the wrong places, completely unaware that the One who loves her so richly is much closer than she thinks.

What do we do with loved ones who desperately look in all the wrong places? What do we do when they ignore the advice of those who have personally discovered the love they seek?

We pray. And we don’t ever give up hope. Just as our Father never gives up hope!

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” (John 3:16-17 NIV)

“He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9 NIV)

What if there were a treasure hidden in your field? What would you do? Would you look in your neighbour’s yard, just in case it might have gotten over there somehow? Would you look in another town? After all, someone may have made a mistake . . . But to find it, you not only need to be searching for it, but you also need to be looking in the right places.

Too often we concentrate our search on “fields” where our own interests are being cultivated. Some of us specialize in distinguishing different kinds of soil, others at labeling different kinds of grass or grain, but we don’t realize that the true treasure is within our reach!

If only we would follow the Biblical instruction to “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” (Matt 7:7 NIV)

This principle is so true, but few ever ask, and even fewer are really searching.

If you are lost and are genuinely interested in that kind of unselfish love, I beg you to consider asking God directly for His help. He is the only One who will lead you to genuine bliss.

Remember the treasure you are looking for is much closer than you think!

Rob Chaffart


(To access the entire “Holding On” devotional series, please click here.)