“But where shall wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding?” “God understands the way to it, and He knows its place.” Job 28:12, 23
The California Gold rush of 1848-1855 is quite the spectacle to study. As gold was discovered in Sutter’s Mill, California, it set off a spark of insurgence that saw over 300,000 people populate the region as they sought out their own personal treasures. The instant growth saw tremendous wealth pumped into the local economy, saw San Francisco grow from only 200 people to over 32,000, and even helped California gain its statehood. But at the core of the California gold rush story, is the human element. Humans on a quest. We are each born with an insatiable need to search and as a result, all humans are on a quest for something. The men and women of the gold rush were searching for gold. Elusive, unseen, and well-hidden within the Earth, yet they persisted in spending all they had to search for what their human instinct drove them to discover. The human quest has not changed, been diluted, or been altered in any way. It is still alive and well today within beating hearts just as it was in those hearts that journeyed westward for glittering wealth. The question is, what gold are you seeking today?
Job chapter 28 is a masterpiece of Hebrew poetry. In it we find Job seemingly in a momentary place of peace as he is honest in his soul. His sickness and suffering have brought him to a point where he can sit within himself, yet speak outside of himself. He is talking to no one yet talking to everyone. From his surreal monologue we see the quest of man revealed. Job mentions the gold, gems, and pearls of the Earth that are safely hidden by God within the untold depths of His soil. They are hidden from man, yet man in his great desire for their wealth, toils at their discovery. Man believes that if found, their value and rarity will not only give wealth, but also give something else…satisfaction. But Job reckons with this logic quickly. Man’s quest is never truly for the tangible but the intangible. Man’s true quest is for something that is invaluable, can never be taken away, and will last for eternity. And Job correctly concludes that the only thing in existence that matches said parameters is the perfect, everlasting, wisdom and understanding of Almighty God.
Are you on grand quest today? Are you on a treasure hunt for the one thing that will seemingly satisfy the craving that burns deep within you? Maybe it’s great success in your career that will bring you great wealth and recognition. Maybe it’s material things that promise to satisfy you, the bigger houses and shinier cars that pledge you untold satisfaction. Maybe it’s continued education, the increased knowledge making an unseen oath to propel you above your peers, making you better than most. But folks, at our core, in our human base, we are truly seeking none of these. Yes, the world and our own nature will speak the great need for all of these, but they are only whispers of falsehood. At your core, in your soul, what you seek is the One that created you. Our Creator built into our DNA a need for Him. Just as a babe instinctually cries for the comfort of his mother’s arms, God made us to seek the goodness of the Father’s embrace. And it is this quest that will perpetuate in a life until the true treasure is found. I pray today that God’s Holy Spirit has brought you to the big X that marks the spot…the feet of Jesus Christ. Jesus died for your sin and He was raised to life three days later, all so that you could be reunited with your Creator. Admit to Jesus that along your quest you have sinned and fallen short of the perfection God requires. Ask Him to forgive you and save you and it is in this moment that real treasure will be found. You see, most of the 49’ers ended up bankrupt, their real treasure never extracted from the ground. But real treasure, true treasure, can never be found here on this Earth, but in the streets of Heaven walking with Jesus Christ.
“How much better to get wisdom than gold, to get insight rather than silver!” Proverbs 16:16
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