Storing Up Treasures

Wow! Where does all of the clutter come from?  This morning, I decided to get into the church early and start on the process of cleaning the old school room upstairs in our Sunday School building.  We are having a big youth event here on September 25th and one of the things that we are going to do is take the kids up there and simulate an underground church service like they have to have in Muslim countries.  But, in order to do that, we have to clean up 40 years of clutter in a room that has become our church's prime location for "out of sight, out of mind."  Old records, remnants of school curriculum, used decorations, and a myriad of things that, for some reason, we have never been able to bring ourselves to throw away. I spent an hour this morning and barely made a dent. 
It reminded me of two conversations that I had this past week. Yesterday, I was discussing with Steve, our focus on material things and he asked if God had not commanded us not to store things up down here.  He was referring to Matt. 6:19,20, where it tells us not to lay up for ourselves treasures on earth, but to lay them up in heaven.  I have always looked at that verse as a comparison, a statement of priority, rather than a direct command, but there is some validity to Steve's argument.  For most of us, the reason that we store things up is so that we will have it, just in case we are ever in need.  Most of the things in that upstairs room have past their time of usefulness, but you never know, someday we just might find ourselves in need of a 20 year old computer. :0)  Storing up things here on earth often serves to relieve our need for dependence upon God, so it is a response to fear rather than faith.  The other reason that we store things up is a response to our human tendency toward materialism, our desire to have stuff.  Either of these reasons has its roots in a spiritual problem.
The other conversation that I was reminded of was one that I had with Chelsea the other day.  She is knee-deep in the long process of preparing to set out on her journey of faith as she follows the Lord's leading to be a missionary.  While many of us would look at her 11-month adventure as a parenthesis from which she will learn and grow and then return to normal life, Chelsea is looking at is as simply the beginning of a missionary life, a first step in a life-long pursuit.  Last week, she wrote, "One of the lessons God is teaching me is to ask myself, 'In the light of eternity, does it really matter' and the funny thing is: not much makes the cut, save Christ and his cross." When she moved to Amarillo last fall, we rented a 6x8x12 U-haul trailer and packed the Suburban full of her stuff for the move. As we were discussing her move back to Grove this November in preparation for her departure, I asked if we would need a trailer again.  Her answer was, "No, I'm selling everything except a few keep-sakes and everything that I am moving home will fit in four bins." God has been working to simplify her life so that she is able to respond to His leading at a moment's notice.
Most of us have to deal with the clutter that we have accumulated over the years.  This applies to our spirit as much as it does to our closets.  Too often, we have stored away old hurts and habits, lies and liabilities, pride and prejudices, until it is difficult to function without tripping over something in our past.  The secret to getting rid of the clutter boils down to four simple steps: First, we must recognize things for what they are. Clutter is the result of placing an unrealistic importance on things of questionable value.  We need to examine our hearts and the things that we are holding onto and ask Chelsea's question, "In light of eternity, does it really matter?" Second, we must repent.  Much of the clutter in our lives is the result of sin that we just won't let go of.  When we turn from sin to God, the path becomes much clearer.  Third, we must release those things that hold us in chains, those people who have hurt us, and those ties to the past that keep us from going forward.  Forgiveness is freeing a prisoner and then finding out that the prisoner was you.  The final step to uncluttering our spirit is to rejoice in what God is accomplishing in your life.  The grateful heart is much more able to let go of the things that hurt it than a heart that is focused on itself.  Gratitude results in joy and God blesses the grateful heart.
Cleaning the upstairs room, at first glance, is a huge undertaking, so I have decided that I am going to work on it a little at a time, an hour in the cool of the morning every day until I get it done.  Uncluttering our private world is much the same.  If we will simply determine in our hearts to purposely deal with those things that stand in the way of our freedom in Christ, God will bless us along the way.  Can I encourage you to get started today?