God Values You

God values you.

Did you know that? 

It's true. God values you. We see in the pages of scripture - Psalm 139 to be specific - that God formed you in the womb, called you by name and that you are fearfully and wonderfully made.  Not only that, Psalm 139 tells us that God is all-powerful, all-seeing, all-knowing, ever-present and yet still takes time to form you and know you.

God values you.

So many times in our society, we feel undervalued by someone. We decry racism or classism or sexism or corporate greed or environmental factors that retard our growth and development as valuable members of society. We start movements or Twitter hashtags to rally our cause.  We use words like "disenfranchised" or "discriminated" or "left behind."

All of that is to say we feel worthless, oppressed or distressed. We seek to right the wrongs that have been done to us. 

Yet, we miss the point.  God values you.  It doesn't matter what your skin color is or your occupation or your societal status or your education.  God doesn't value the things of this world or the labels we choose. God values you.  He made you and formed you and knows you better than anyone.  He loves you and cares for you, and yes, he died for you.  He personally put himself on the hook for your pain and misery and sin, when he died on a cross for you.

God values you.

In a world always looking for someone to blame, for some cause to anger us, for a reason to fight and cry out in oppression, we must remember that above all, God values you. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Devotion to a false god

Image
Last week, at Disney World, I went to retrieve our stroller from the stroller parking section.  As I searched among the hundred or so strollers, I finally found mine and started to move it.  As I pulled, it snagged on a woman's garment.  Panicked, I looked up and saw it was a Muslim women in full Muslin dress.  Her body was completely covered.  Only a slit for her eyes was visible.  I was careful not to yank, and I tried to apologize as the hook of the handle caught part of her garment.  She didn't say a word and we both quietly went on our ways. As I walked away, I felt pity on her.  For one, it's Disney World in June in Florida.  I strode along in shorts and a very thin T-shirt.  Both were soaked in sweat.  I had already consumed two bottles of water and still felt weary.  She was dressed head to toe in heavy garments.  I can't imagine how hot she was pushing a stroller with two kids through a mass of people in hum...
Read more

Bearing Responsbility

Image
I remember when my daughter was first born. Amid the excitement and joy came an overwhelming feeling.  This baby, which I held in my hands, was now my responsibility.  When she got sick, needed feeding, required a diaper change, or had to be corrected and taught, those responsibilities fell to me as her father.  In a matter of a few minutes, I had been entrusted with a new life on planet earth. Looking back on that day six years ago, I was excited but scared.  Yet, that is nothing compared to the responsibility Joesph must have felt.  Joseph was a righteous man, according to scripture, and he knew one thing for certain - Jesus was not his biological son.  Thus, he planned to divorce Mary quietly and be rid of the whole matter. And before we vilify Joseph, know that he could have done much worse.  By law, Mary could have been stoned to death.  His divorce was a form of mercy.  She would live and he would be rid of the stigma of an unfait...
Read more

Following Jesus' Example

Jesus was not a convential man. Often, when Jesus taught, he challenged the status quo.  He also liked to use object lessons and parables to illustrate his points about faith and a relationship with God. One night after dinner, during the last week of his life before the resurrection, he finished eating, took off his outer garment, grabbed a towel and started to wash the disciples' feet. Stunned, Peter protested, but Jesus said it had to be done.  He had to allow Jesus, his rabbi, his teacher, his Lord, to become a servant and wash Peter's dirty, worn feet.  So he did.  Jesus washed all their feet that night.  Then he said:  You need to do this too. Too often in Christianity today, there is an attitude of moral superiority.  We love to build beautiful church buildings, boast of our attendance, brag about our programs and talk about the money we give.  At the same time, we turn our nose up to the alcoholics and drug addicts and homeless and...
Read more