Jesus is the man in the hidden-field story who finds the treasure and pays the cost to make it his own; he does not wait for you to become worthy or to find him first — he joyfully sells all that he has to buy the field because the treasure is you, loved and sought even when you feel dusty or forgotten. [34:32]
Matthew 13:44 (ESV)
“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.”
Reflection: What is one tangible thing (an attitude, an object, a schedule, an expectation) you can “sell” or let go of this week so that your daily life more clearly reflects that Jesus bought you and treasures you?
When the waters rise or the flames threaten, God is present with a steadfast promise: fear not, for he has redeemed you and called you by name — you are his; this is not an assessment or probation but a parental, redeeming claim that clings to you through every trial and through every valley. [28:39]
Isaiah 43:1-2 (ESV)
But now thus says the LORD, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.”
Reflection: Name one fear or pressure you face right now; aloud or in prayer tell the Lord, “You have called me by name,” and write one practical step you will take today to trust his presence in that specific situation.
Before time began God set his love on you and predestined you for adoption in Christ — your worth is not earned by performance or flipped by failure; it rests in the deliberate, loving choice of God who wanted you and made you his own. [37:13]
Ephesians 1:4-5 (ESV)
even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will,
Reflection: List one shame or failure you still carry; pray and confess it to the Lord, then write one short sentence replacing that shame with the truth “I am chosen and adopted in Christ,” and speak that sentence to yourself three times today.
The joy set before Jesus — not heaven’s glory or angelic acclaim, but the people he loved — is the reason he stepped into Bethlehem, Gethsemane, and Golgotha; he willingly gave up everything so that you, his treasure, would be redeemed, known, and kept forever. [39:09]
Hebrews 12:2 (ESV)
looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
Reflection: Identify one way you can live this week in light of being the “joy” for which Christ suffered — who will you intentionally love, forgive, or serve as a demonstration of that truth, and what will you do for them by Friday?
Scripture reminds that people do not naturally seek God, but God seeks people — the initiative is his; therefore the security of being treasured does not depend on human striving but on God’s active, gracious pursuit of the lost and broken that he might bring them home. [35:14]
Romans 3:11 (ESV)
no one understands; no one seeks for God.
Reflection: Think of one person in your life who seems far from God; today, send them a simple, specific word or action (a text, a note, an invitation, a meal) that reflects God’s pursuing love and could open a door for conversation about how God treasures them.
Today we began Sacred Stories, walking with Jesus through his parables during Advent. I focused on Matthew 13:44—the treasure hidden in a field—and invited us to see it the way Scripture points: Jesus is the man, and we are the treasure. That reading fits what Romans 3:11 and Ephesians 2:1 make clear: we do not seek God; God seeks us. From eternity, the Father set his love on us (Ephesians 1:4–5). Before we had a past to regret, he chose us. The treasure isn’t polished or impressive; it’s beloved. That’s why this story shocks us—Christ sees worth where the world sees dust. Not because we’re flawless, but because he chose to set his love on us.
Jesus “sells all” in joy. Hebrews 12:2 says the joy set before him led him to endure the cross, and that joy wasn’t heaven, angels, or glory—he already had all of that. His joy is you. Advent tells the same story: our God comes down into our field—Bethlehem straw, Gethsemane soil, Golgotha stone—to find what he refuses to lose. Isaiah 43 grounds our identity: “I have called you by name; you are mine.” That is not probation language. It is covenant language. And redemption is costly. Not with gold or silver, but with the holy, precious blood of the Son.
So live as the treasure he purchased. You don’t need to prove your worth—Christ already has. You don’t need to hide your sins—Christ died for them. You don’t need to fear death—Christ defeated it. You don’t need to worry if you’re forgotten—Christ sought you out. Advent is watchfulness without fear, because the One who came, who gave up everything for you once, will not abandon you now. He will come again and bring his treasured people home. Every beautiful Christmas tale is only an echo of this truest one: the King of heaven joyfully gave all to make you his own—forever.
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