When we lived in Montana there was an old ghost town only a few miles up the road. It was always an adventure to visit there and learn about the early mining history of our state. We could walk through the buildings, down the streets and even visit the cemetery. Thousands of people had lived there during the gold strike and then almost over night the gold played out and a new strike was found about seventy miles away in Virginia City. Off the residents went in search of riches.
During the summer, visitors to Bannack are welcome to try their hand at prospecting using a gold pan and some dirt from the nearby, gold enriched, Grasshopper Creek. Gold panning is fun but it’s hard work too. For the diligent there is the possibly of finding a nugget or two and at the very least a few flakes.
The mound of dirt that’s brought in doesn’t look like much – just regular old dirt. Add some to your pan and the treasure hunt begins. Sloshing and swirling of water, removing the larger rocks, more washing, but more gently now. The black dirt settles in the bottom of the pan, a little more water, swirl it gently and there in the bottom of the pan garnets, rubies and even gold appears.
Prospecting is nothing more than looking for something valuable among the common. I know of no better prospector than the Lord.
“Jesus told the people another story: What will a woman do if she has ten silver coins and loses one of them? Won’t she light a lamp, sweep the floor, and look carefully until she finds it? 9 Then she will call in her friends and neighbors and say, “Let’s celebrate! I’ve found the coin I lost.” 10 Jesus said, “In the same way God’s angels are happy when even one person turns to him.” Luke 15:8-10 CEV
He searches for us. Digging through the dirt, He washes away what is worthless to reveal our true value. We are precious to Him! We are his treasure.
Our heavenly Father came looking for us when we were at our worst. Once again I am overwhelmed by the Father’s love for us! He has covered our lives with His unconditional love and forgiveness.
“Christ died for us at a time when we were helpless and sinful. 7 No one is really willing to die for an honest person, though someone might be willing to die for a truly good person. 8 But God showed how much he loved us by having Christ die for us, even though we were sinful.
9 But there is more! Now that God has accepted us because Christ sacrificed his life’s blood, we will also be kept safe from God’s anger. 10 Even when we were God’s enemies, he made peace with us, because his Son died for us. Yet something even greater than friendship is ours. Now that we are at peace with God, we will be saved by his Son’s life. 11 And in addition to everything else, we are happy because God sent our Lord Jesus Christ to make peace with us.” Romans 5:6-11 CEV
Because of His love and the sacrifice of Jesus we are at peace with God and precious in His sight.
“He feels pity for the weak and the needy, and he will rescue them. 14 He will redeem them from oppression and violence, for their lives are precious to him.” Psalm 72:13-14 NLT
We are precious to the Father. We are His treasure!