Andrea Sims Ph.D. A Morning Page: Unfolding This Treasure

Art by Andrea

A Morning Page: Unfolding This Treasure

My Happy Place

The beach is my happy place. I feel something as I walk barefooted in the sand, listening to the roar of the waves crashing. I think it is the enormity of the ocean and the sky coming together. Just thinking about it now and reliving the healthy fear I have of the fierceness and forces of the power that’s on display, I get the “over the top of a rollercoaster” feeling in the pit of my stomach. For me, that awe brings with it something of Yah to my heart. 

And it brings to mind the only photo I have of my mother and me together. We were in Long Beach, CA where I was born, walking hand and in hand (I was a toddler at the time) and a photographer happened to capture the moment. I found the clipping of the newspaper article when going through my mother’s things after she died. 

Many things have happened to me while walking on the beach. I can’t really explain why, but this is one of them. 

In 2000, I was living on Padre Island off the coast of Texas, near Corpus Christi. One day, out of the blue while walking on the beach, I found myself wanting to paint—watercolor, in particular. I was surprised, because I had done nothing artistic like this . . . ever! So, I went to the local office supply store, bought a children’s box of paint, and picked up some typing paper to see what might happen. With those supplies, not much! I next went to the library searching for a beginning watercolor book of instruction and had a bit more success. At some point, I became intrigued with the terra cotta pot—trying to capture the light and shadow in the empty space. I must have painted that image thirty or forty times before I realized . . . I had been painting a self-portrait. It was quite a shock. 

“But we have this treasure

In earthen vessels,

That the excellency of the power

May be of Elohiym, and not of us . . .”

This Treasure

I’m a “whole to parts” kind of learner: I must see at least a glimpse of the big picture before I can begin to understand the parts. I am also aware of my own inadequacies to express the “whole” of what I am discussing here, but I must try. For in this case, the “whole” involves the cosmos (the worlds were made by Yah), eternity (time without a beginning or an end), and the enormity of salvation (the breath of life to begin life, abundance to endure life, and eternal life with the One who created all things). Now you see what I mean by “whole”! It’s almost beyond words.

So, it’s the “parts” that I can more easily explore: 

Treasure, in the Greek and Hebrew lexicons, hints at a deposit of wealth that is disposed of by will or testament; an inheritance, of sorts; a treasury in a storehouse. (G2344, G5087, H214). In light of the insight that this brings, we can look at what the Scriptures say and begin to see what this treasure is that we have:

“Now, therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed,

And guard my covenant,

Then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me

Above all people:

For all the earth is mine.”

(Exodus 19:5)

“And wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability

Of your times,

And strength of yeshu’ah (salvation):

The fear of Yahuah is his treasure.”

(Isaiah 33:6)

 

“And if we belong to Mashiach (Messiah),

Then are ye Avraham’s seed,

And heirs according to the promise.”

 (Galatians 3:29)

“But as many as received him, 

To them gave he power to become the sons of Elohiym,

Even to them that believe on his name.”

(John 1:12)

From these Scriptures, we can see that this treasure we contain is not of our own making. We hold it inside of ourselves as a deposit of wealth, given by the only One who has it and has the power to disperse it as He wills. In other words, we become the storehouse of something magnificent from the Creator of all things. 

Photo by Andrea

But what is this “something”? 

Salvation

I realize that I have stated above that salvation is one of those “whole” things that is hard to talk about, but I can, through looking into the Greek and Hebrew, get another glimpse into some of the parts: We have within us help from on high, deliverance from the enemies of our souls, health, rescue—sometimes from ourselves, safety from all things injurious, and finally, victory over evil (H3444, G4991). If we only know in part, as the Scriptures tell us in 1 Corinthians 13:9, then we can only imagine what the whole of salvation must be. 

Power

The power found in 2 Corinthians 4:7 is described as excellent. From the Greek and Hebrew, we can get a better picture of it: it is mighty, great, full of strength and force and mastery; it speaks of authority, jurisdiction, liberty—even the miraculous (G1411, G1849, H1369, H7980). Again, none of these attributes of the “something” that we hold in us can be attributed to man. This power is from Yah alone. May others see this truth clearly. It is not of us. We need to revisit this Scripture:

“But as many as received him, 

To them gave he power to become the sons of Elohiym,

Even to them that believe on his name.”

(John 1:12)

The treasure we hold is the knowledge that we have become Yah’s offspring, his child. 

“And if we belong to Mashiach (Messiah),

Then are ye Avraham’s seed,

And heirs according to the promise.”

 (Galatians 3:29)

The treasure we hold is the inheritance Yah promised us: Life abundant, life eternal. 

“As you (Yah) have given him (Messiah) power over all flesh, 

that he (Messiah) should give eternal life 

to as many as you (Yah) have given him.”

John 17:2

The treasure we hold is a gift from the Father (Yah) to the Son (Messiah) which he (Messiah) then gifts to us who believe on his name. What a treasure! What a gift!

“But he (Yah) knows the way that I take:

And when he has tried me

I shall come forth as gold.”

(Job 23:10)

The treasure we hold is the confidence that Yah knows the outcome of our many trials and troubles, and that the victory over evil and over the fleshly desires is won. 

“For Elohiym created man to be immortal 

and made him to be an image

Of his own eternity.”

(Wisdom of Solomon 2:23)

The treasure we hold is the knowledge that, not only are Yah’s children immortal, but we are made in his image, which involves eternity. The excellency of the power for such things as this can only be of Yah. 

We can draw some conclusions from this glimpse into the parts of the treasure we are unfolding. 

We cannot save ourselves or anyone else. 

Yah is the only One who makes the blind eyes to see, the deaf ears to hear, and the heart to change from stone to flesh. 

We are earthen vessels that contain a treasure. And at this point, we only know in part, we look through a glass darkly, and we know nothing yet as we ought. 

Oh, but there is coming a day . . . when we will know as we are known. And until then, faith, hope, and love abide within us . . . what a treasure we contain!

Please leave me a note: I’d love to hear your thoughts. 

Photo by Andrea