Ahoy! Treasure!

January 14, 2023

It’s been almost three years now. I can’t get this song lyric out of my mind. Know a song like that? It’s from a Christian song by Jordan Feliz titled, “Next to Me.” It goes like this:

“You put the ‘X’ on my faded map.”

We’re supposed to recognize the reference to the classic pirate’s treasure map. In the movies, pirates made a secret map to remember where they’d buried a chest filled with thousands of gold doubloons. They would cherish the map, knowing they could return to that tiny Caribbean island any time they wanted and follow the map to their hidden treasure. Anyone who was given or stole the map could consider themselves suddenly rich. The ‘X’ on the map was the place to dig.

If I consider my life, it may be pleasant to look at and indicate plenty of hills and valleys and trails. It really has no focus until I’ve determined where the treasure is. I need a map. I can dig here or there, hoping to dig up something valuable. Good luck with that! A map with no ‘X’ is no big deal.

One day you hear rumors that there is a better way. There is a treasure map! Blessed is the friend that has that map and unrolls it in front of you! Everything changes when you see that marked location where treasure can be found. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, but by me.” I’m so thankful that God put that ‘X’ on the map.

Matthew 13:44, “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.”