Treasure Seekers.

PROBABLY most of my readers have seen or heard of the hidden treasure-seekers who day by day have been going out to search for the sums of money hidden by enterprising newspaper advertisers. They see the various placards in large type, saying that such and such a treasure is hidden in a certain town, and that clues to its whereabouts are to be found in a particular paper.
1. They believe the announcement, and eagerly await the special issue.
2. They endeavor to get a copy as early as possible, not to lose the opportunity through another seeker being first.
3. They read carefully and thoughtfully the directions, and then search diligently and heartily for it.
4. One only of the seekers gets the prize, and when got what is it? The “gold that perisheth.”
Now, dear friends, God wants you to be a treasure-seeker, not for the gold that perisheth, but that which endureth unto life everlasting.
His servants, like the placards, announce that this treasure is to be found. Do you believe it? Then get the Word of God, and look for the clues. Turn first to Matthew 7:7,8,7Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: 8For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. (Matthew 7:7‑8) and there you will find, “Seek, and ye shall find”; “Every one that asketh receiveth”; and “He that seeketh findeth.” Ah! that is better news than the hidden treasure-seekers have. Every one may have God’s treasure, thanks be to the loving Giver of all good.
Now let us see how search is to be made. Look at Proverbs 8:17,17I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me. (Proverbs 8:17) “They that seek Me early shall find Me.” Now the treasure-seekers get their papers early, lest they should lose the one prize by someone finding it before them. So God wants you to seek early. If you are young, seek early, and have that treasure to go through life with.
Young or old, seek early, not because there is not a treasure for each of you, but because if you delay the opportunity may pass away. Christ may come, and the door of mercy will be shut; or God may require your soul of you this day; and if you pass out of this world without His treasure, it matters not if you have gained the whole world: you have nothing for eternity and your soul is lost.
If you are in earnest in your desire for God, He will make Himself known to you, — “I will be found of you, saith the Lord.” He Himself is the treasure He would have you search for. One of old could say, “O God, Thou art my God; early will I seek Thee my soul thirsteth for Thee, my flesh longeth for Thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is” (Psa. 63:11<<A Psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness of Judah.>> O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is; (Psalm 63:1)). Have you not, dear reader, found this world to be what it really is, “a dry and thirsty land,” with nothing to satisfy your soul? Happy if it be so, even if you have been taught it by many a trial and sorrow, more perhaps than you think you deserved, for there is One whom the world knows not and desires not, that is longing to satisfy you, and in deep love for your soul has allowed all the afflictions to make you feel your need of Him. Now let us find Him as He makes Himself known to those who seek Him.
The earthly treasure-seekers mostly seek in vain, but the Lord “said not... Seek ye Me in vain” (Isa. 45:1919I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the earth: I said not unto the seed of Jacob, Seek ye me in vain: I the Lord speak righteousness, I declare things that are right. (Isaiah 45:19)). All may find Himself to be their treasure. Himself “a just God and a Saviour.”
The seeking sinner might hesitate in his search at the thought of finding a just God. The sinner’s sins call for the due sentence from a just God, and that sentence is death — “death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned” (Rom. 5:1212Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: (Romans 5:12)). But blessed be His name! the God who would be sought after proclaims Himself to be “a Saviour.” How can this be? The perfect answer is supplied in Isaiah 53:5,65But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. 6All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. (Isaiah 53:5‑6). God has laid on Jesus the iniquity of all who look to Him.
“He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him: and with His stripes we are healed.”
What an eternal treasure, then, have we found in the One who is “just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.” So far for the sinner as a treasure-seeker. But there is Another seeking treasure.
“The Son of man has come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19 To). And just as those who seek for God with their whole heart search not in vain, so the Saviour Jesus seeks after that which is lost “until He find it” (Luke 15:55And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. (Luke 15:5)). Jesus looks upon His people as a treasure worth seeking for. Yea, they are to Him like a “pearl of great price” (Matt. 13:4646Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it. (Matthew 13:46)), for which He was willing to sell all that He had. How wonderful that He should give up everything — life itself — that He might purchase for His own, such worthless, hell-deserving sinners as you and me! And having found the treasure He set His heart upon, “none can pluck it from His hand” (John 10:2828And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. (John 10:28)), but “He carries it home rejoicing” (Luke 15:55And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. (Luke 15:5)), evermore to have it near Himself.
Further, God would have those of us who can rejoice in the treasure we have in Himself and the Son of His love, to be seekers still. “Seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affections on things above, not on things on the earth” (Col. 3:1, 21If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. (Colossians 3:1‑2)). Let us not be like the hidden treasure-seekers, or Bunyan’s man with the muck-rake, with eyes and heart looking down at earthly things. Christians, look up! Let our hearts, as taught by the Spirit through the Word, become better acquainted with the excellencies and glories of our — yea, of God’s — Treasure at His right hand. Thus shall we be weaned from all that is of this world that passeth away, and when we listen to the voice of our Saviour — yearning to have His blood-bought people with Him — saying, “Surely I come quickly,” the answering desire of our souls will be, “Amen, even so come, Lord Jesus.”
“‘Tis the treasure I’ve found in His love
That has made me a pilgrim below;
And ‘tis there, when I reach Him above,
As I’m known, all His fullness I’ll know.”
W. H. S. F.