Weaned from the World

On Thursday, February 21, 1723 Jonathan Edwards records the following entry in his diary:

“I perceive that I never yet have adequately know what was meant by being weaned from the world, by not laying up treasure on earth, but in heaven, by not having our portion in this life, by making the concerns of another life our whole business, by taking God as our whole portion. I find my heart in great part yet adheres to the earth. O that I might be quite separated from thence.” Weaned from the world; what a concept to take up the mind of a young man as he seeks a relationship with his God. It causes me to stop and consider whether I have been or even at the very least, am I being weaned from this world? Matthew 6:20 says: “but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.” (ESV) 1 John 2:15 says: “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” (ESV) When I stop being concerned about accumulating items promoted by this world for my satisfaction, and I become concerned about doing that which enables me to “lay up” or store up treasure in heaven, then I enter into the process of being weaned from this world in order to live for the next world. The only way to stop desiring the things of this world is to stop loving this world. The only way that I can stop loving this world is to start loving the world to come more. When God becomes my greatest treasure, or as Edwards puts it, “my whole portion”, then and only then, can I maintain that I am being weaned from the distractions that pull at my heart. It is my prayer that God will always be my greatest treasure! I too, as Edwards pray that I might be quite separated from this world and all that it offers.

What do you think?