This is my "toy car collection". All of these were given to me by my daughter, all for my birthday. They're placed above my desktop, so I see them when I am preparing for my sermon or just browsing the internet. They represent two areas of my memories and enjoyment in life.
First the Volkswagen Combi. In my younger years my uncle used to have a combi. And I still have great memories of him picking us up and enjoying the ride with my cousins. Somehow this has stuck to my memory, so much so that it is still a hidden desire in my heart to have one. I know it's almost an impossibility because it is a classic van, and to restore one today would take thousands of pesos, which I don't have to spare! And so, it's just a pleasant memory stuck in my mind. But, it's made "real" by the toy model above. It always brings a smile.
The police cars show my obsession with police. I never had a desire to become a policeman. I just always enjoyed watching (and still do up to today) police tv series ever since I was a young boy (that was during the black and white television days). I even used to read a pocketbook series of the 87th precinct written by Ed McBain. When I was young, I used to like drawing policemen. One of the best memories I have was when I was twelve years old, it was my first time in the US, and we were driving from San Francisco going to Disneyland when we were pulled over by a highway patrol motorcycle cop. I was in the back of the station wagon of my uncle and when I saw him, I couldn't stop staring. What I just used to watch on television I saw in real life! What a treat, and what a great memory that is still in my mind up to today.
As I mentioned, I still enjoy watching movies and television series of police, and my eyes still light up when I see a Volkswagen combi (there is at least one here in Bacolod City). I guess we all have these secret memories and things that light up our hearts. That's how interesting our minds are, right? All those memories, all those desires and things that bring us joy, they're just stored up there. And the joy, or good memories, come back every time we see things like my model car collections.
What more with our hearts! Our minds store up memories. But our hearts store up what we treasure in our life. This is why our Lord Jesus reminds us about what we are to treasure in our hearts, our inner man.
Matthew 6:19-21 NASB "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. (20) "But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroy, and where thieves do not break in or steal; (21) for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
In eternity we are not going to have earthly memories. We're going to have memories of the eternal treasures that we stored up while we were living this life here on earth. And all the joy we're going to have in eternity is going to be that which was connected with our Lord. For He is our greatest treasure, and everything we do for Him becomes our treasure in heaven.
Matthew 6:24 NASB "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.
Are our hearts storing up eternal treasures as we serve God, or are we so busy storing up earthly treasures that we will not be able to bring to eternity. And if the treasure in our hearts is earthly, then that is what we are living for. Who, or what, are we living for?
Proverbs 4:23 NASB Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life.
Enjoy every memory, every little thing that may bring a spark of joy or happiness in our mind. But let's make sure that our hearts are filled with eternal treasure, so that when we do inherit eternity, by God's grace, we will have eternal memories of our Lord and His faithfulness stored up in us.
