X Marks the Spot: Have you found the treasure? What have you done with it?

“We are like common clay jars that carry this glorious treasure within, so that the extraordinary overflow of power will be seen as God’s, not ours.”

—2 Corinthians 4:7 TPT

What do you think of when you think of March? Spring being ushered in by sunny daffodils and fields of green? Or tricky leprechauns and lucky four-leaf clovers? Perhaps you envision the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Maybe this past month you even tried your hand at luck by purchasing a stash of Mega Millions lottery cards. As for me, when I recently thought of March, I thought how quickly it was slipping away, even more so when my friend shared a picture of his calendar marked with Xs on every date that had passed. I really didn’t like his picture, a poignant reminder of days no more, never to be revisited. It gave me pause, for the Bible says, “The reality is you have no idea where your life will take you tomorrow. You are like a mist that appears one moment and then vanishes another” (James 4:14).

I resolved to be more intentional about making days count and planned to write a blog post before I flipped the calendar to April. But life got busy, and I got stuck in analysis paralysis, pondering what and how to write, overthinking and under-acting, a trap that can keep any of us from responding to God’s call.

The moment we said “yes” to Christ, God “set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come (2 Corinthians 1:22),” an eternal home in heaven, a treasure beyond a pot of gold or the Mega Millions. The day of our salvation is marked in history like an X marking the spot on a treasure map. Now “we are like common clay jars that carry this glorious treasure within, so that the extraordinary overflow of power will be seen as God’s, not ours” (2 Corinthians 4:7 TPT).

We are called to share this treasure with others. How we share is as unique as we are. Each of us has different God-given talents and passions that He wants us to use for His purposes.

Author Angela Donadio says, “Your greatest opportunity to shape a culture is to do exactly what God has called you to do.” She adds, “We walk in our calling when we say ‘yes’ to the God-moments in our lives.”

In order to do that, we must silence the voice of comparison and keep our ears tuned into God, our eyes wide open. Sunday morning I tuned into God; I meditated on His Word and talked to Him about my writing. I sat in His presence and listened for His still small voice. After some time I walked into the kitchen to return my coffee cup and was drawn to the window by a bright light. My mouth dropped when I saw a glorious rainbow, overarching the field of green. I grabbed my phone and went out onto the deck to capture the resplendent scene. The second I snapped a photo, raindrops began to fall. Quickly, I retreated inside and returned to the window for another look, but it was too late. The rainbow had vanished.

Our lives are like that rainbow, appearing one moment and then vanishing the next. God-moments can be just as fleeting. There is no time to be stuck in analysis paralysis. We must be ready to obey when the window of opportunity appears. Speak, pray, serve, comfort and share—before it’s too late. When we do, we can trust God with the harvest, for He always keeps His promises.

Let us say “yes” to using our talents for Him, never comparing ourselves to others, but remembering that we are all ordinary clay pots, carrying an extraordinary treasure that is meant to be shared.

Dear God, thank You for this glorious treasure and for creating me with gifts and talents, designed for your use. Teach me to not hesitate when opportunities appear, but to obey, trusting You to use my offering in pointing others to the X on the treasure map. Amen.