People put value and importance on things, but God’s values significantly differs from us.
The greatest demonstration of God’s Father-heart is revealed in His attention to the details of our lives. He delights to surprise us with the “extras,” those little pleasures and treasures that only a loving father would know we desire.
What do you value or treasure right now? I’m pretty sure when we get asked this question, a lot of us would answer:
- Our family
- Our jobs
- Our house / cars / possessions
- Technology
- Relationships
- Our gym time
- Our hobbies
- Ourselves
Why do you value these things? We get answers like:
- They give us joy
- They give us a sense of pride
- They keep us going (they are our purpose)
- We can’t live without them
- Simply because we love them
What great heights would you go through for these things which you value?
- “I will do anything for my mom, for my dad, for my children… for my family”
- We sacrifice our own welfare for the sake of those we value in life.
- We find jobs, and even take more hours of work, just to buy (or buy for) the things we value in life.
- We dedicate our time and effort for the things we value
- We become generous for the things we value. Money will not be an issue.
But…
Did you know that the Lord values you?
- He Values Every Detail of You
For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them. – Psalms 139: 13-16
- He Values Your Well-Being
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. – Jeremiah 29:11
- He Values What’s Inside Your Heart
But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” – 1 Samuel 16:7
What great heights do you think God had gone through for you to realize your value to Him?
- We Were Bought At A High Price
Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. – Romans 5:7-8
- We Were Delivered From Judgement
Mercy is God not punishing us as our sins deserve, and grace is God blessing us despite the fact that we do not deserve it. Mercy is deliverance from judgment. Grace is extending kindness to the unworthy.
According to the Bible, we have all sinned (Ecclesiastes 7:20; Romans 3:23; 1 John 1:8). As a result of that sin, we all deserve death (Romans 6:23) and eternal judgment in the lake of fire (Revelation 20:12-15). With that in mind, every day we live is an act of God’s mercy. If God gave us all what we deserve, we would all be, right now, condemned for eternity.
- We Were Rid of Our Sins
Jesus paid the price – because of Him, our sins are cancelled out. Now that we know of that truth, God has opened us a way for our since to be forgiven. That is to repent. God always forgives us when we repent of our sins. Even when we hurt Him; even when we reject and leave Him; even when we decide to cut off our ties from Him, He will be willing and just enough to forgive us of our since as long as we repent from the bottom of our hearts.
God is not stingy, possessive or materialistic. We often use people as things; God uses things to bless people and He manifests His generosity through more important gifts than just material goods. He freely gives us priceless intangibles of love, mercy and forgiveness.
If we value so much, the things of this world, how much more do you think God values us - His creation! God bless!
