Today I want to skip down memory lane to when I was a teenager in Walnut Creek, California collecting American television memorabilia. My focus was on the 1960s—shows like Andy Griffith, Dick Van Dyke, McHale’s Navy, and Bonanza. I loved it!
To my wife Cindy’s great dismay, I have been able to hold onto that collection for all these years. But it has NOT been easy! It has taken a strong effort by me to fight off her repeated attempts to “get rid of that stuff, Mark!”
This topic came up—AGAIN–last week when I decided to sell (finally) some of my treasured items. Everything was going great until I needed to set a value on each item.
My perception that the collection has a HIGH VALUE was quickly incinerated when I reviewed similar items being offered online. My bubble had been burst.
That left me holding a truth I have always known: An item’s value is based on what someone is willing to pay for it.
Hmmm…sounds a little bit like OUR VALUE as children of God.
Every human on planet earth is INVALUABLE in God’s eyes. He sent his only Son to die on a cross and pay the ultimate price for all of us. Valuable indeed!
Our Enemy—the prince of darkness—tries to convince us otherwise by whispering lies in our ear that scream YOU ARE NOT WORTHY OF GOD’S LOVE!
But he will not win if we recognize and claim God’s UNCONDITIONAL love. A love that is not based on who we are, what we’ve done or not done, or what we will do. A love that cannot be earned. A love that is impossible to lose.
God’s love is a perfect and eternal gift based on who HE is, not who we are. The result? Our value is invaluable.
My prayer today is what the Apostle Paul prayed over the people of Ephesus:
“I pray that Christ will make his home in your hearts through faith. I pray that you may have your roots and foundation in love, so that you, together with all God’s people, may have the power to understand how broad and long, how high and deep, is Christ’s love. Yes, may you come to know his love—although it can never be fully known—and so be filled with the very nature of God.” Ephesians 3:17-19
WHAT ABOUT YOU?
What does God want you to do when you doubt his love for you?
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16
“Though the mountains be shaken, and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,” says the Lord, who has compassion on you.” Isaiah 54:10
“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.” Psalm 106.1
