I once heard an illustration about a couple who purchased a large piece of land. They liked the idea of having the space, but never cultivated it or invested time in the property. Instead, they spent their days going back and forth to work, just making enough money to get by. One day they decided it would be better to sell the land and hopefully make a little profit from it. Eventually, they found a buyer for the property and they went on to live their lives. The new owner saw much potential in the land and started cultivating it and planting seeds. One day while digging, the owner found petroleum! The profit he made from selling the petroleum was far greater than he could have imagined. All this time the first couple had been sitting on hidden treasure, but since they never took the time to cultivate the land, they missed out on the riches found therein.

The same is true with God's Word. It is filled with great treasures that could impact our lives and allow us to live rich lives. We have access to God's wisdom and knowledge right at our fingertips, yet many times we neglect it and live mediocre lives as a result. Monetary wealth is temporary, but the riches we obtain from studying and applying God's Word to our lives will bring true joy and lead to a meaningful life.

If you are not investing time in God's Word, may I suggest you start by setting aside just a few minutes a day to read a couple verses? As you start "digging" into the Bible, you will start finding treasures for every circumstance. And when you apply these nuggets of wisdom to your daily life, you will notice the positive impact it can make on your life in the long run.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, at times I allow distractions to keep me from spending time in your Word and cultivating my spiritual life. I ask that you give me the dedication to spend time with you, knowing that there is no greater treasure than knowing you and living in your ways. Thank you for the rich and meaningful life I can have in you. Even when hard times come, I can have hope and peace because I have you. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. In Jesus' name, amen."

1. Colossians 2:2-3 (NLT).