The gospel is filled with admonitions about accumulating the riches of God. God wants us to prosper. But God wants us to prosper in a manner that will never fade. There is a false prosperity gospel that says “You can be (earthly) rich if you get God to listen to you.” The true prosperity gospel is that we can have infinite riches, all the gold we want, by listening to God. This is lasting treasure, not just mammon.

Since God’s rewards are beyond our comprehension, we try to whittle the riches of God down to something we can understand. Something more intellectually and physically tangible. Mammon is a perversion of the divine promises. We need an adjustment of perspective to set our pursuit straight.

If we hear His voice and open the door, He will enter into an intimate relationship with us, the sort of intimacy only shared among close friends and relatives at a meal. That is the source of true riches, all the gold we want, straight from God.

This verse was written by Jesus to those he loves. It is written to His children. Our Perfect Father does not rebuke and chasten other people’s children. He rebukes and chastens His children.

He ends this passage with a promise. Relationship with him is the true manifestation of prosperity. And the true message of the gospel.