the eternal pearl

Dear Candice,
I read something this week that has driven me crazy- good, Jesus crazy.
I stumbled upon a short parable in Matthew that has left me longing for more of my Savior and to live for Him as best to my little human ablilty.
"The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid again; and from joy over it he went and sold all that he had and bought that field." {matthew 13:44}
I read some notes in my Bible about this parable that really put things in perspective. What this parable is saying is that God's kingdom is more precious than anything. At all. Ever. The man in the parable is supposed ot represent the person who wants an intamate relationship with Christ more that anything. And when I say anything, I mean anything. The man wanted the treasure so bad, that he sold everything that he had just so that he could have the treasure. He had to know the great value of the treasure hidden in the field if he 1) hid it and kept it a secret and 2) sold every single possesion that he had just to buy the field where the treasure was hidden.
If you parallel this to your life, it's saying that there should be such a fire burning in your heart, such a longing and desire to have eternal life with a perfect God, that you're willing to sacrifice everything you have just to have eternal life.

The next two verses are similar:
"The kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls, and upon finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it." {matthew 13:45-46}
He wanted the priceless pearl for himself. I want the priceless eternal life with Christ. The merchant searched everywhere for a pearl and when he found it, nothing was going to stop him from getting it. I have found life- real true life- and now I'm asking myself what's stopping me from having it. We are all searching for that one thing to fill us up. When we find that one thing, that one priceless thing, what are we willing to do to have that one eternal thing?
So the main purpose of the parables that Jesus told served as an example to the people that listened to him that they could relate to. Obviously, here Jesus is talking to people who understood the goals and actions of merchant and aimless men. Even though I'm neither a merchant nor a trespasser on large land masses, I see the realtion of these stories to my life and I can say that now I undersand the message that Jesus is trying to convey when He told these parables.

So, Candice, do you believe that eternal life is so valuable that you're willing to give up what you have to spend forever with your Creator?
Think about it. Pray about it.
I love you.
Love,
Sara