Greater Worth Than Gold

“Hey, Kids!  We are going to see real gold!  They will even let us lift a 27 pound bar of pure gold!”
  
My four young children were as excited as I was to visit the Money Museum in Kansas City.  In all my years, I had not seen a bar of pure  gold, nor had I ever visited a Federal Reserve Bank. 
  
When I was a young girl I collected coins, and as I traveled around the world I also added foreign coins to my collection.  My kids love to look through my coin treasure box and to ask, “How much is this one worth?”  They love to learn about exchange rates, especially since I had given them their own Pesos from our years living in the Philippines. 
  
After all the anticipation, we finally passed security at the Money Museum.  The older boys were captivated by the display of the history coins lining the walls.  The younger two preferred to stick their heads in the large $100,000 bill and to design their own money on the touch screens for kids. 
  

Kids discover 40 million dollars!

We were amazed to actually get our hands on $40,000,000---real dollars!  Through secure glass, we watched the employees handling thousands of dollars and processing money through machines.  After watching robot carts transfer crates of thousands into vaults, my kids started looking for more.
  
“Where’s the gold?!” No, 40 million dollars was not enough for my curious kids.  They wanted to see and lift the most valuable form of money--pure gold.
  
We were a little disappointed that we couldn’t actually hold the gold in our bare hands! But being valued at $516,997, we could only look at it through the protected case.  We did get to take turns feeling the weight of the 27 pound gold bar by pulling down the lever on the side of the treasure box.  “Worth its weight in gold!” they say.  Now I know what they mean!
  
As I put my kids to bed, we chatted again about the gold.  I said, “You know, the Bible says God’s Word is more precious than gold...than much pure gold!  That means, even if you died and were buried in tons of gold bars, none of them could save you from sin.  But the Bible is worth more than gold because it holds the promises that lead you to Jesus, and only He can save our souls from death!  Do you believe that?”  My son nodded, yes.  We chatted about faith to see true riches, which are future, even though we had seen millions in the present.
  
I tucked the kids into bed and went to my room to open my own Bible.

“Hey,” I thought, “I should put that on Instagram!”

"Your Word is more precious than gold" Psalm 19

I got out my precious Bible and opened to that same passage in Psalm 19.  I started clicking on my phone and opening my layout app, then scrolling through my vacation pictures.  I got my post all ready and added the spiritual caption: “Your Word is more precious to me than gold, than much pure gold.” 
  
I clicked on my news feed to admire my post.  Yes, I liked the result.
  
I started scrolling.
  
“Hmmm....I wonder if I should check Facebook,” I thought, after flipping through Instagram.  I clicked on the Facebook app and started checking my notifications and responding to comments. 
  
I continued scrolling.
  
My attention was captured.  My mind was distracted.  I was getting hooked on finding more posts, more things to “like”, and more random articles to skim.
  
And then.
 
I was struck.  Suddenly I looked beyond the phone in my hand and saw the silent Bible laying open on my lap.
  
“More precious than gold, eh?  How about more precious than my iphone?” 
  

"More precious than gold, eh?"

Ohhh!  How could I say I was too tired to stay awake to read more of the Bible, yet I could waste an hour of mindless social media scrolling?!
  
Lord!  Why did I get so engaged in my iphone while Your Word sat silent?  Is Your Word more to be desired to me than my phone? 

“Open my eyes that I may see
wonderful things in your law.”
Psalm 119.18
  
Lord, make your Word and Your promises more desirable to me than anything else!  Let me become engaged in your Word and stimulate me not just intellectually but stir me spiritually and warm me emotionally.  Uncover for me treasure in your Word worth more than gold.  Help me to see the value of it and to treasure You more when I meet you there.

“I have strayed like a lost sheep.
Seek your servant,
for I have not forgotten your commands.”
Psalm 119.176

Lord Jesus, let me return to you today, my Good Shepherd.  I repent and confess my need for you.  Word Hunger comes from you, and only you can give me faith to see the great worth of this treasure.

“The law from your mouth
is more precious to me
than thousands of pieces
of silver and gold.”
Psalm 119.72

“I counsel you to buy from me
GOLD
refined in the fire,
so you can become rich.”--Jesus Christ
Revelation 3.18

Helpful articles that I am reflecting on as I pray for more wisdom and intentionality in 2017 on my phone use:
Ten Questions to Diagnose Your Smartphone Usage
Facebook Obsession and the Anguish of Boredom
Smartphone Addiction and our Spiritual ADD