This Article is from the book The Open Table – An Invitation To Walk With God.

The Open Table is a Donald Miller Christian discipleship series designed for small groups. It is accompanied by two films and corresponding guidebooks. I had the great honor of writing the second guidebook with Donald and some amazing editors at Thomas Nelson.

On Earth, As It Is In Heaven: Buried Treasure

Matt 13:46 “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.

There was once a fella who knew of a treasure that was buried in a field. This treasure was greater than any treasure any mind could conceive. It was beyond imagination. The treasures name was “The Way, The Truth and The Life” (John 14:6).

This fella was so excited about the treasure that he sold everything he owned – right down to the clothes on his back. He gave all that he was and all that he had and naked he went to his field. He began to dig. And there he found his treasure and it was a Kingdom. It was a greater Kingdom than I can describe but I will try nonetheless.

This Kingdom was built on love. In fact, the King of this Kingdom was love (1Cor 13:13). The Kingdoms currency was righteousness, peace, and joy, which was engaged through believing. Everything about the Kingdom was good. There was no evil in the Kingdom, not a single drop – not a sliver. There was no sickness or sadness in this Kingdom and because this Kingdom was founded on love, all sorrow was redeemed and restored to joy. In this Kingdom, all things always worked to good. (Rom 8:28)

Amazingly, this fella, the one who went digging in the nude, well, he became an heir and citizen in this Kingdom. In essence, he was reborn and became a new creation taking on the very nature of His King – love. He was given new clothes and they fit him like a glove. These clothes were righteous and this fella was marvelous to behold because he had the love of His King in Him. Because he became an heir, this fella had access to every aspect of the Kingdom.

This Kingdom had a creed. It was known as the good news. The King spoke it often and the fella’s heart leaped with joy to hear it! It went like this “Thy Kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven” (Matt 6:10).

This next part may seem odd but it is true and truly astounding – over time this fella who became an heir of the King, well, he found that wherever he stepped the King and His Kingdom went with him. Then one day it dawned on the fella that this is why he existed – to know the Kings love and to establish his Kingdom of Love wherever he went…

I don’t know if you guessed it yet but that fella, he’s me. But there’s more. I would like to suggest that the fella, well, he is also you…

At the age of five, I found my treasure. I gave Jesus all of me and I asked him into my heart. At that moment, I became an heir to the King and I gained citizenship in the same Kingdom I just described. Since then I have been discovering just how amazing this King and His Kingdom is. Since then, I have been discovering what it means to be an heir of the King and citizen of His Kingdom.

Some refer to this moment in a person’s life as “salvation.” That’s a good word for it. But it’s not just a moment. Since the age of five, I have been learning that Salvation is the most beautiful of life’s miracles. I once was dead, now I’m alive! I once was clothed in self-centered ignorance, I’m now clothed in love and righteousness. I once was a citizen of a fallen kingdom, I now am a citizen of Heaven (Phil 3:20). What makes the miracle of salvation so much more amazing is the fact that it doesn’t end there. Our salvation is not the end of our story; it’s the beginning of a new one.

If I may put it this way, after saying yes to Jesus, salvation is not only the answer, it’s the question. The question salvation asks is, “how shall we now live?” Most of my life I have understood salvation as an assurance of heaven after I die. Yes, that’s true, but I’m discovering that there’s so much more. I am saved to bring heaven to earth while I’m alive.

Just like that fella who bought the field, I have met the King and am taking on His identity as my own. I am becoming love and because of this love, I have His creed burned on my heart… “Thy Kingdom come, on earth as it is in heaven.”

I believe that if you have asked Jesus into your heart, the journey from here on is about discovering the Kings love, who you are within the context of that love and how to live out that love daily.

Jason Clark is a writer, speaker and lead communicator at A Family Story ministries. His mission is to encourage sons and daughters to grow sure in the love of an always-good heavenly Father. He and his wife, Karen, live in North Carolina with their three children.

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