This is a guest post by Moira Cairns. We are grateful for her early contributions to the founding of IHTC, and our logo design. We wish her God’s blessing as she and her family move to the US, and and as she furthers her studies in Music Therapy.
For centuries, humanity has been intrigued by the possibility of buried treasure. Hidden beneath the dusty, dirty, and forgotten lies potential for joy and satisfaction. These stories call out to deep parts of us. If we look beyond the vice of greed for a moment, we can hear the whisper of a longing for the kingdom of heaven, which has unlimited potential and is truly satisfying.
Unlike the pirates in the tales we’ve come to know, our Saviour already paid for the treasure when He gave His own life on the cross. This treasure, this kingdom, is us! (See Hebrews 13:22-28 & Revelation 5:10) Jesus knows the treasure that he created us to be, and He also knows every grain of dirt, every wound and every ugly characteristic, which hide our true selves.
When IHTC was only an idea in the minds of a few Christ-followers, a crucial concept was one of varied approaches needing to be offered in order to help people toward healing. We are incorporated beings – heart, soul, mind, spirit, body all part of one person. The idea of how complex we are as people can feel overwhelming when it comes to a journey of healing, but Jesus already knows where the treasure is hidden and he has already bought the entire field that holds the treasure.
This is a point that I think is important to take in: Jesus bought the whole field. He isn’t waiting impatiently for us to uncover the treasure that He bought so that He can claim that which is rightfully His. He bought all of the dirt and grime surrounding the treasure as well. He bought the field in order to treasure the treasure, but He is also invested in the journey of uncovering the kingdom of heaven that lives in us.
Let’s not miss the other truly important point here: He knows where the treasure is buried. The idea of healing, with all of its layers and complications, can feel too complex to undertake, but in the same way that Jesus knows precisely who we are and the purpose He has for us, Jesus knows precisely every lie and trauma that has buried our true self. When we listen to His leading, through prayer and scripture reading and godly mentoring, He will lead us on the path to freedom.
Finally, and perhaps most importantly, let’s not miss His joy. In His JOY he went and sold everything He had to buy the field and the treasure within it.
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God (Hebrews 12:2).
When the Bible says that the joy of the Lord is our strength (Nehemiah 8:10) perhaps it means His joy in us. What was the joy in front of Jesus when He went to the cross? What was in it for Him? You. Me. His church. His brothers and sisters. He takes joy in who you are, and He has promised to completely uncover the treasure that’s buried, obscured in muck (Philippians 1:6). His joy in us gives us strength to face the grime around our soul.
So, if you’re wondering what type of healing to engage in or which issue to tackle first, check in with Jesus. You will soon find out that the X that marks the spot is actually a cross. Fix your eyes on Jesus as He leads you toward wholeness. He knows the way you need to take.
Submitted by Moira Cairns
