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June Yates-Boykin

Normally on Monday mornings my workday begins in front of my laptop.  Not that Monday.  Shovel in hand, I hurried to the designated spot and started to dig.  My foot pushed forcefully on the shovel to penetrate the earth.  Thanks be to God, the soil was easy enough to penetrate, but firm enough to remain in place around me as I worked.

                   I determined not to stop until the job was done.  This was far too important, and I wanted every minute to count.  My progress was much slower than I hoped.  By early afternoon I managed to be only about knee deep in my five-foot square.  How much deeper I needed to dig, I did not yet know.

                   Some well-meaning friends stopped by with food and declared a break time, but I couldn’t stop.  Even though they understood this was important to me, they thought I just might be taking it a little too seriously.  They didn’t want me to wear myself down over something that might not be needful or work out the way I expected.  I truly appreciated their concern, but I wanted this.  I really wanted it. 

                   “I can’t quit.  I cannot quit.” I told them, expressing the urgency of my task.  I thanked them for checking on me and asked them to pray for my quick success.  As they went on their way, I went back to work.

                   Nightfall came to find me almost to my shoulders.  Still I had not found it.  This depth required even more effort in lifting the dirt and throwing it far enough away that it did not fall back in to counteract my progress.  I could have sworn the shovel was heavier than when I began.  It was time to stop for the night.

                   With a good night’s rest and the sunlight to see by, I returned the next morning to continue my quest.  My husband dropped by a few hours later and offered to dig for me if I would rest.  I agreed.  I would not leave the dig site, but I did sit on the ground next to the hole as he got in and went to work. 

                   After just a few minutes fatigue and discouragement came to overtake me.  I realized that if I sat there any longer I might not start again.  I couldn’t quit now, I had to be close.  Soon I’d be singing the Legend of Jed Clampett, “Oil that is, black gold, Texas tea.”  Okay, he was shooting and I was digging.  He wasn’t looking for treasure, I was.  And I certainly had no plans to head to Beverly Hills, but you get the point.  I was expecting to find my treasure very soon if I could just hold out and not stop digging.

                   “I’m rested,” I said to my husband, hoping to convince myself. “Get out and let me back in there.”

                   Adrenaline kicked in and soon I was in over my head.  I drove the shovel into the ground where I stood, propped myself on its handle, and looked up to the opening a foot or so above my 5’5″ body.  I wondered if I would ever find it.  How much deeper could it be?

                   Then it happened.  As I lowered my eyes to begin again I saw it.  Straight ahead of me at about chest height something shimmered in the dirt.  Catching sight of the small, greenish glow penetrating the soil was surreal.  I hesitated a moment as though I feared disappointment, but hope won.  I clinched my eyes closed for a split second to force out the remaining tears, brushed them from my face, then reached out to take hold of my treasure.

                   I used my fingers to brush the dirt from around my prize.  As I did, it came sliding out of its holding cell as though being coaxed out by the very soil that held it captive.  My cupped hands reached out to catch a glowing emerald about the size of a red brick.  Incredibly, there was not a single spec of dirt on that stone.  It was perfectly clean and shiny.  I dropped to my knees in a salad of relief, gratefulness, amazement, and fatigue.

                   So thankful was I that I didn’t stop digging.

                   The next thing I saw was my bedroom.  You see, none of this happened in the natural.  Of all the visionary experiences God has given me, this was the most unusual in that it came in pieces. Each scene I described heretofore appeared to me as episodes in a mini-series that spanned from Monday morning into Tuesday afternoon.  Time elapsed between each one just as it had in the natural.  Oddly, I did not realize I viewed the entire thing in grayscale until the moment I saw the emerald shimmering in the wall of soil.

                   With each scene, Holy Spirit spoke important principles into my heart.  While these principles can and should be applied to anything we desire in life, the emphasis was on the treasures of God’s Word and a relationship with Him.  That is therefore my application as I share them with you.

                   There are priceless treasures hidden in God’s word and in knowing Jesus.  These treasures bring peace, understanding, wisdom, and blessings of every kind.  

I will give you the treasures of darkness and hidden riches of secret places, that you may know that I, the Lord, Who call you by your name, Am the God of Israel.  Isaiah 45:3 NKJV

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.  Matthew 13:44 NKJV

Paul’s prayer for the church:  ² that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ, ³ in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Colossians 2:2,3 NKJV

                   If you are going to find God’s hidden treasure, it must be important to you.  You must deem it valuable enough that, like the man who found treasure in the field (Matthew 13:44), you are willing to sacrifice everything you have and put forth great effort to take possession.  His treasure is worth far more than anything you will ever give up to find it.  Pick up the shovel, start digging.

                   And don’t stop digging.  While many friends and family may agree with and even admire your relationship with God, few will grasp the level of commitment you have entered into.  With well-meaning hearts, they will try to convince you that you’re working too hard and sacrificing more time and energy that is expected of you.  “You are good just like you are,” they will coax.  “Come and enjoy life.  You can do that another day.” 

                   These are surface level companions.  It doesn’t mean they aren’t right with God.  It simply means they are satisfied with the things of God that can be found with little effort and even less sacrifice on their part.  You will rarely find them with shovel in hand or knee deep in dirt.  You are digging for a supernatural encounter with our supernatural God.  Don’t let anyone talk you out of it.

                   I assure you, the more treasure you discover, the more you will want to dig. The more you experience the change His treasures bring into your life, the more valuable they will become to you.  God’s treasures will make your days of rest and pleasure and career more rewarding than ever before, so dig first.

                   I speak this from experience.  My life has been changed in so many ways for the better – my attitudes, my perspective, my finances, my strength and faith – more ways than I can list, by a revelation as I read God’s word or through a few quick words He has spoken to my heart.  I know there’s even more and I will continue to dig.    

                   Make up your mind that you won’t stop digging, because how much treasure you find depends on you.

                   No one can dig for you.  In my vision, my husband came to dig for me so I could rest.  He wanted to bear that load for me because he loves me.  That will not work.  You will have those who will help you – teachers, ministers, counsellors, and friends – but nobody can do your part.  You have to dig for yourself.  That is, dedicate time to search for God’s treasures through Scripture and prayer and worship.  Then commune with Him about anything and everything throughout the day and pray that your ears and eyes will be always attentive to Him.  It will take effort and sacrifice.  Some days you may feel like you can’t lift the shovel one more time.  It is often in those times when the very gem you are searching for comes sliding from the soil into your hands.

                   Remember Jesus’ words, “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33).  The KJV includes the subject (ye), which is implied in most other translations.  With the implied subject, Jesus said to us, “You seek first…”  So while others will help us in our quest, we must do our own digging. 

                   With those being the primary principles from the experience, let me remind you of the end:

                   I was in over my head.  The world around me was completely obscured from my view except that I could lift my eyes to heaven.  Find a way to shut out all the distractions of the world and seek Him.  I’m not telling you to isolate yourself all the time from life and people, but digging for treasure does include making time to be alone with God, giving Him your undivided attention.

                   When my stunning emerald fell into my hands, it did so without a spec of dirt remaining on its surface.  It was free of guilt, shame, greed, unforgiveness, pride, and turmoil.  It was pure and clean and perfect.  It was a beautiful, precious stone that radiated peace and prosperity and hope.  These are the treasures of God hidden in fields and dark places.  There are treasures to address every need and desire of our hearts.  Nothing in this world compares.

                   If you persist, you will find treasure.  Mysterious, hidden riches of God.  I know.  As already said, I have been blessed to find many.  There are yet many for me to discover, so I won’t stop digging.  I can’t quit.  Don’t you quit either.  God has plenty of treasure for us all.

9 So I say to you, Ask and keep on asking and it shall be given you; seek and keep on seeking and you shall find; knock and keep on knocking and the door shall be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks and keeps on asking receives; and he who seeks and keeps on seeking finds; and to him who knocks and keeps on knocking, the door shall be opened. Luke 11:9,10 AMPC

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