the hidden reign of the heavens


`Again, the reign of the heavens is like to treasure hid in the field, which a man having found did hide, and from his joy goeth, and all, as much as he hath, he selleth, and buyeth that field.
`Again, the reign of the heavens is like to a man, a merchant, seeking goodly pearls, who having found one pearl of great price, having gone away, hath sold all, as much as he had, and bought it.



I love the way that Young's Literal Translation interprets these verses.
The 'reign of the heavens' is such a beautiful way to visualize the kingdom of heaven.
It reminds me that heaven is a spiritual dimension that is unseen and hidden from us.

In the beginning it seemed that God, and his kingdom, was anything but hidden.
Yet, since Adam left the garden, God has seemed to be increasingly invisible to us.
When I was a young man God seemed hidden to me - I did not even think about him.

Then a moment came in my life when I bowed my heart to Jesus.
At that moment things which seemed invisible were now visible to me.
In a sense, things that seemed hidden were found and I became aware of them.

Can you imagine going through life never knowing that you were loved by a distant relative?
What would it be like to discover one day that they had died and left you a great inheritance?
And how would you react when you found letters to you that blessed and nourished your life?

What effect would these discoveries have on your life?
Would you not be thankful for them and treasure them for the rest of your days?
Maybe this discovery would change the way that you viewed your family and your life?

When Jesus speaks about these findings he mentions a joy that caused the men to act.
I wonder if joy such as this is evidence of the presence of a spiritual awakening?
Perhaps joy is a hallmark and manifestation of the hidden reign of the heavens?

Open my heart Father to the treasure that is the Lord Jesus Christ.


... this devotion is part of the Red Letters series. Click here to read more.

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