Search for the diamonds

I was hiking up a mountain recently and found a few treasures along the way. They didn’t really amount to much: an old hat, a walking stick, and five dollars. But I was excited about my little discoveries because the hike was kind of rough. It was very hot outside, and I was climbing uphill at the summit in Big Bear, California. The air was thin at over 8,400 feet/2,500 meters, and I found myself gasping for breath every few minutes. I thought that I was in good shape, but the harsh reality was a little embarrassing and discouraging.

friend, have you ever felt embarrassed and discouraged? The Bible reveals a secret strategy for times like these: “In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of His robe filled the temple. Above Him were seraphim, each with six wings: with two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another: ‘Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of His glory.’” (Isaiah 6:1-3, NIV) Did you notice that Isaiah was in a rough spot? He was a slave living in a foreign land, and his master had just died. Life was tough for Isaiah and all of his people, but suddenly he SAW the Lord.

friend, you can find treasures in your most difficult moments when you look up and see the Lord. The Apostle Paul alluded to the same principle in 2 Corinthians 3:18: “And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into His image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” (NIV) 

friend, you will find God’s treasure and gifts if you search for Him in the midst of the storm. You will rise to new levels of glory by His grace because you are a miracle, and I love you more than fondue.