Golden (Dictionary): Of a high degree of excellence; lustrous, shining; being or having the color gold or the color of gold.
Golden (Bible): Golden; a piece of gold, golden ornament; image; made of gold, adorned with gold.
People have sought after gold for millennia. It is a rare metal that has unique properties which makes it valuable. People continue looking for gold in many ways. They use back hoes down to small, hand held pans.
Most people in the world are poor and are seeking a better life. They probably think that if they found an abundance of gold, their lives would certainly change! There is a paradigm that can be seen here.
If we consider the Bible as a source of pure (spiritual) gold, we soon realize that it will take some effort to find the gold! It will take commitment, digging and washing (like panning) searching for our gold. But, unlike people who must use guesswork, we know exactly where the gold may be found. And once found we do indeed become grateful and satisfied as we learn to walk with God.
Titus 3:4-8: 4 But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. 8 This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone. (NIV)
One question we might ask is, “What is our gold”? Our gold is truth lavished with grace. It is having salvation through Jesus and being “in our Fathers hand!” We soon learn that there is also “fool’s gold” out in the world Fool’s gold is really iron pyrite and worthless. But it does look real. People panning for gold will often find fool’s gold and think they have found treasure. It is sad that so many have searched and “panned” for truth and found fool’s gold (i.e. false teaching). They thought they have found truth. As Christians we have been blessed to have found the truth! As it turns out, truth is found in a man. His name is Jesus Christ! The truth of fool’s gold is found in its name!
Remember what Jesus said: Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
As we search the Bible we quickly see that there are major conflicts with what the world offers. The thing is, panning for gold requires washing over and over. First the bigger rocks are removed. Then the smaller particles are washed again and again. Finally, the gold is seen. It almost seems like God is removing the big things or obstacles in our life and then using a washing/refinement process on the rest This process requires Bible study and a commitment to allow God to keep washing our spirit!. As we grow in Jesus, and as we read the Bible, we see our “panning” efforts will always find gold!
Ephesians 5:25-27: 25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, 26 so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 that He might present to Himself the church ain all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless. (NASB)
I walked along a stream
On a warm and sunny day.
I saw that the stream bed
Had been washed of all its clay.
Just gravel left I thought.
As I pondered the quiet scene.
It had taken God’s hand.
To get it so amazingly clean.
But then I saw it was a gift to me
And to those who would walk the stream.
It’s just like God to arrange such a time.
To remind me how He had made me clean.
