I’m wanting to stay on topic from yesterday’s blog.
Did you copy the verses I gave you? Are they in your phone or on your computer so that you can read them again and again? Well, if not, here you go again.
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. In Christ, God has given us every spiritual blessing in heaven. 4 In Christ, he chose us before the world was made. He chose us in love to be his holy people—people who could stand before him without any fault. 5 And before the world was made, God decided to make us his own children through Jesus Christ. This was what God wanted, and it pleased him to do it.” Ephesians 1:3-5 ERV
Yesterday friends came to visit and in conversation they mentioned a movie they had seen, Worth. If you haven’t seen it, it deals with compensation for those families who lost loved ones on 9-11. Their biggest struggle was in determining how to compensate families fairly.
This morning, I woke thinking about my worth or value and the verses above came back to mind. My second thought was these verses from the Psalms.
“I look at the heavens you made with your hands.
I see the moon and the stars you created.
4 And I wonder, “Why are people so important to you?
Why do you even think about them?
Why do you care so much about humans?
Why do you even notice them?”
5 But you made them almost like gods
and crowned them with glory and honor.
6 You put them in charge of everything you made.
You put everything under their control.
7 People rule over the sheep and cattle and all the wild animals.
8 They rule over the birds in the sky
and the fish that swim in the sea.
9 Lord our Lord, your name is the most wonderful name in all the earth!” Psalm 8:3-9 ERV
God made man, us (male & female), in His image. He saw us as having value and worth. Remember the first set of verses this morning, from before the foundation of the world He decided to make us His children.
Our worth and value to God the Father is so great that He sent Jesus to die for us.
“ Yes, God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him would not be lost but have eternal life.” John 3:16 ERV
If you think I’m trying to make a point, you’re right! I want you to see yourself as God sees you. You are priceless, no expense was too great to purchase our redemption.
“Christ sacrificed his life’s blood to set us free, which means our sins are now forgiven. Christ did this because of God’s gift of undeserved grace to us. God has great wisdom and understanding,” Ephesians 1:7-8 CEV
I need us to go back to the story of the prodigal son again. Look at the son’s mindset.
“ I will go to my father and say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against God in heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer good enough to be called your son. Treat me like one of your workers.’ ” Luke 15:18-19 CEV
That phrase in other versions says, “No longer worthy”. Sin causes us to look at our unworthiness but love, the Father’s love, shows us our value.
“…when he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt sorry for him. He ran to his son and hugged and kissed him… ‘Hurry and bring the best clothes and put them on him. Give him a ring for his finger and sandals for his feet. 23 Get the best calf and prepare it, so we can eat and celebrate. 24 This son of mine was dead, but has now come back to life. He was lost and has now been found.” Luke 15:20-24 CEV
God determined our value before the world began. He established our worth and determined we are priceless!