Start Digging.

But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. (Matthew 6:20)

I remember (a few years back) reading about how thousands of people were flocking to the western United States to find gold. River bottoms from California to Colorado were being scoured for treasure, and old abandoned gold mines found new life. What is interesting is that all these people had known for years that there was gold to be found in those places, but the difference became the value of that precious metal. As soon as the price of gold skyrocketed, mining the dust and flecks became a worthwhile effort.

What would you do if you found out that 100 pounds of gold was hidden within the walls of your home? If it were me, I would drop everything I was doing and search like mad. Suddenly, the television, the internet, and even eating would hold much less interest for me in the light of finding the treasure.

Guess what? You have something within the restrictions of your residence that is worth far more than any amount of gold. Sure, I don't know everything that's in your house- but I'm willing to wager that somewhere on a coffee table or in a bookshelf or under your bed is a book that has simply this on the cover:

Holy Bible

Who says that the Bible is worth more than gold? At least two very prominent people:

Job (an extremely wealthy person) said that the wisdom of God cannot be purchased for any price (Job 28:15)

King David (an even wealthier person) said:

"The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever. The ordinances of the LORD are sure and altogether righteous. They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb." (Psalm 19:9-10)

Now it's one thing for people who have no riches to say that God's word has more value than material things- how would they know? It's quite another for someone who has 'been there/done that' to state that Scripture has the highest importance in the universe.

Why is Scripture better than gold? Here are just a few reasons:

• It leads people to salvation
• It shows us how to live a meaningful life
• It draws us closer to the Savior
• It comforts, directs, encourages, heals, convicts, and a hundred other things that money cannot do

Maybe that spiritual "gold mine" has been there all along, but now you realize that the benefits are more than worth the effort. Here are a couple suggestions on getting started:

• Begin with a Proverb or a Psalm a day
• Commit to reading through one of the gospels over the next few months
• Ask your youth leader and/or a friend to read through one of Paul's letters
• Just pick it up and begin at the beginning- you know: THE Beginning (Genesis 1:1)

So what are you waiting for? Grab your spiritual pick and start digging!

P.A.