A Peculiar Treasure Unto the Lord

Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself. Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. Exodus 19:5-6

But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light: Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. 1Peter 2:9-10

When the time came for the children of Israel to be delivered from Pharaoh’s hands, God delivered them by His own hand, by His own might, and in His own time. He inflicted judgment upon Egypt and brought deliverance to Israel so that the world would know that He is the Lord that brings you out. He desired for the children of Israel to remember where He had brought them from and where He was taking them to. God desired to bring His chosen nation unto Himself, into a close relationship. Ultimately, He desired to bring them and all nations back into their original relationship with the Father that was destroyed through sin.

Our heavenly Father took considerable time to give the children of Israel the law and instructions on successful living. The choice to live according to His commandments, statutes and judgments was theirs to make. God offered them a special place in His heart as His peculiar treasure. A peculiar treasure is kept close so that none can take it away. It is looked upon with appreciation and handled with care. A peculiar treasure is a valued possession that is owned by the one who designed, created, and manufactured it. The owner sets the guidelines for how His treasure will be viewed and handled. The owner of a peculiar treasure sets the guidelines for how His property will behave.

God desires to have us as His peculiar treasure. Did you know that you were a treasure unto the Lord? But He desires that you be a peculiar treasure unto Him. This means that He desires that you be His very own treasure, His special possession. It is clear that God loves all of humanity but all of humanity does not hear and obey. When we decide to hear His voice and obey His Word, then we become a peculiar treasure unto Him.

God is looking for some men and some women who will keep His commandments. He is looking for some people who will seek Him diligently, with their whole heart, soul, and mind. He is looking for some people that will earnestly wait for Him. Our Lord is looking for some people who will live out the blood paid covenant that has been established by Jesus Christ as the Lamb of God. Jesus Christ, by His shed blood has brought us back into covenant relationship with God the Father.
This is not a mandatory covenant, but rather, it is a covenant of choice. Jesus tells us that whosoever comes to Jesus and hears and obeys His word is like a man who digs a deep foundation and lays it upon rock so that when the flood comes, his house is able to endure. When we choose to live according to the Word of God, Jesus becomes our foundation and we can endure the trials of life. Additionally, Jesus says that whosoever does the will of the Father which is in Heaven, is His brother, sister, and mother. We become blood relatives with the Savior by doing His will. Finally, He tells us that whosoever will come may come and freely take of the water of life. This means that we can freely receive of the Holy Spirit so that we can hear God clearly, respond courageously, and act powerfully. But we must decide to be a “whosoever”. A “whosoever” is a peculiar treasure, a special possession and we must make the choice to be a peculiar treasure unto the Lord.

The first step to becoming a peculiar treasure is salvation. The bible tells us that we are saved by faith in Jesus Christ. We are saved by a word of faith. Romans 10:9 tells us that when we confess with our mouth the Lord Jesus Christ and believe with our heart that God raised Jesus from the dead, then we are saved. Have you confessed the Lord Jesus Christ as Lord of your life? Do you believe that God raised Him from the dead? If your answer is no, do it right now. The day of your salvation has come. Your life will never be the same. You have the opportunity to become a peculiar treasure unto the Lord.

Once you have accepted the salvation that comes through your confession and belief, there are continuous levels of growth along your Christian journey. Based on your belief, have you chosen to obey His word? Have you examined your life to see what the weight and the sin is that besets you? Are you looking unto Jesus for guidance and strength to live the Christian life? Are you praying, meditating, studying, and fasting so that you can lay a solid foundation in Christ Jesus? Are you talking to Him, thinking about Him, learning of Him, and seeking Him so that you can grow your relationship with Him.

Relationships get stronger through open, honest conversation that allows the development of knowledge. Proper knowledge of God, leads to a love relationship that compels us to obey. Obedience allows us to be a peculiar treasure unto the Lord. Peter continues this thought when he tells us that we are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; so that we bring glory to God who has called us out of darkness into his marvelous light.

God loves us unconditionally, and He has given us His Son so that whosoever believes in Him will not perish but will have everlasting life. Jesus has already paid for us with His blood. We are His. Therefore since we belong to Him, let us make our choice. We are a treasured possession, a peculiar treasure, so let us make the choice to truly be a peculiar treasure unto the Lord. When we accept Jesus Christ as our personal savior, we have taken the first step. When we build our relationship with the Lord through prayer, meditation, study, and fasting we are on our way. When we obey His word out of love as opposed to religion, we are heading in the right direction. This holy quest to be a peculiar treasure unto the Lord encompasses our whole life. Let us continue on this lifetime journey of seeking to be a peculiar treasure unto the Lord.

© 2009 Michelle Fuqua