I have felt impressed to begin getting a bit more “intense” with my preparation efforts. I’ve been on the journey toward this transition for quite a while, so getting to this place actually feels like I’ve arrived home.
My preparation journey has been a transition from a 1.3 million dollar mansion in California, to a much more remote area in a very small home that is on land that has been in my family for several generations. I have shifted from a lifestyle of riding in limos and eating at fancy restaurants, to enjoying a peaceful morning harmony of chirping birds, wind whispering through the trees, and farm animals cheerfully welcoming the sunrise. The stream on the property keeps this morning orchestra in perfect cadence as the restful water tumbles over the smooth rocks – flowing gently toward the river below.
Yesterday, I had the opportunity to visit a local shop owner in our town. He had been a merchant for many years, and was lamenting about the fall of his business. He had been extremely successful, but the last three years had been brutal for him – and he was bitter.
The business this merchant had successfully built over the years was beginning to reflect “the shift” in what people value as a treasure. His wares were once considered a collectible investment that brought comfort and pleasure to the possessor. Now, as people are impacted with a changing environment – his trinkets are becoming worthless.
I believe a similar “transition of treasure” will be required of most people during the preparation process. For some, it will be a difficult transition simply because their heart remains with treasures that have defined our comforts. In my journey, the Lord began to shift what I have valued as a “treasure”. I firmly believe that one of the most difficult (yet required) elements of preparation is embracing the changes in what we truly place value in. We can either embrace the transition of treasure, or we can wage a feeble struggle that will ultimately take us down a path of defeat and bitterness. Either way, the change will happen – whether we want it or not.
“Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Luke 12:35).
As I continue to prepare, I believe we all need to continually take personal inventory of the things that truly reflect value to us. I reflect on how changes (perhaps drastic changes) might impact the items that have been labeled as a “treasure.”
Every day I am more convinced… Our real treasures can not be acquired by a purchase.
