Loved, Priceless, and Beautiful

"The kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls..." Luke 13:45


Imagine for a moment that you are invited to a special party and you go to the mall to get something new. What would you be looking for? A pretty dress, sparkly shoes, and bright nail polish? Or would you be more inclined to look for new jeans, a nice belt, and flashy earrings? We each have our own style, but whatever we get will likely be what meets our wish-list--or as close as we can get with the money we have.

Let's say you get exactly what you're looking for. It's nice. It's something you want to show off. It's worth the money you paid for it, and you wear it proudly. Who wouldn't?

 

In many ways our lives revolve around what we have, how valuable those things are to us, and what we're willing to do to gain them. We walk the neighbor's dog and do extra chores around the house to get money to buy the things we want. We go to school to get an education that can lead us to the life we want as an adult. We search for love and happiness. We're not content with life being meaningless and without purpose.

But why? Why are we so driven? What makes life so valuable? What does it matter if I have a new dress or wear an old one? Why do we want the best things and the latest trends? Why do we want to do things that matter and have meaning?

When we were created by God, He gave us the inherent value of worth. He made us in His image. In Psalm 8, David says He crowns us with glory and honor. He values us. And somehow, in a way I don't completely understand, He puts that into the very fabric of our being.

In Old Testament Israel, God's chosen people had the Law to guide them, and the first items on the list were to have no other gods and to worship Him alone. Why? He wanted them to know that their value and worth came from Him. They didn't need any other gods because He would never fail them. He valued them. He loved them. They belonged to Him as His prized possession.

But some of them didn't understand. They worshiped other gods and made idols for themselves because they didn't think He would care for them. They sinned and feared His wrath and ran further away. He still loved them and promised mercy and forgiveness, but they didn't believe it because they did not see their value. So, they worshiped worthless idols and became worthless themselves. (2 Kings 17:15)

They were still valuable to God, but they didn't recognize that and saw themselves as worthless. This is what happens when faith is missing, and we usually try to fill that emptiness with other things: pretty clothes, relationships, good grades, well-decorated bedrooms, the best technology. We want things that say we have worth.

 

That isn't to say we shouldn't have these things. Having nice things and pursuing our interests is fine, but we should see them as a way God has blessed us, not what gives us value. God gives us value, and searching for value in things only makes us feel worthless. This is idolatry. Worship is acknowledging the One who values us.

Jesus told a parable to illustrate the kingdom of God. He said, "The kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it." (Luke 13:45-46) 

 

I believe we can take this two ways, and they are both necessary to living victoriously in His kingdom. We must believe God is our greatest treasure and seek Him all of our days. We may have to leave things behind to do that, but He doesn't hide from us and will be found. Our pursuit of Him will have great rewards.

But to do this, we must also believe we are like that fine pearl of great value to Him. You are His treasure, and He wants you to see yourself through His eyes: loved, priceless, beautiful, the very best on His wish-list; and He's never letting go.

 

So wear your best outfit and pretty jewelry, seek the good things God has for you, do the things you enjoy; But don't say, 'These things give me value. My worth is found in these things.'

Instead, declare this truth: "God gives me value. I belong to Him. He provides for me and cares for me. He is my God, and I can trust Him."

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Back to the Light

O LORD, how long will you forget me? Forever?

How long will you look the other way?

How long must I struggle with anguish in my soul,

with sorrow in my heart every day?

How long will my enemy have the upper hand?

Turn and answer me, O LORD my God!

Restore the sparkle to my eyes, or I will die.

Psalm 13:1-3

Have you ever felt this way? Can you relate to David's words, to the desperate feelings of despair, pain, and hopelessness? Perhaps you are there now. Perhaps you will be tomorrow. Life is full of the unplanned and unexpected--the good, difficult, and more difficult. It can be hard to understand why things happen, especially if you are striving for and even praying for the opposite.

When things don't go the way we plan, it's easy to believe God has forgotten us and to feel alone. It makes the most sense to our logical minds. It's hard to believe God is near when we feel defeated, overwhelmed, or confused. But it's also during these times when we can depend on Him the most. In Psalm 13, David doesn't only express how he feels, because he knows his feelings can be misleading; He also says what he believes, in spite of his circumstances:

But I trust in your unfailing love.

I will rejoice because you have rescued me.

I will sing to the LORD

because he is good to me.

Psalm 13:5-6

David is honest about how he feels, and we should be too, but he doesn't stop there. He turns the corner from despair to hope, from the lies to the truth, from unbelief to belief. In Paul's letter to the Colossians, he reminded them of an important truth about God: He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves. (Col. 1:13 NIV) Why did he remind them? Because he wanted them to live above their circumstances. He wanted them to remember who they were. We know from Paul's opening words he was writing to those who were faithful and holy followers of Christ. He praised them for their faith and the love they had for others, and he knew they were capable of pleasing Him in every way, having great endurance and patience, and being joyfully thankful for the inheritance of this kingdom of light.

But they, like David, probably didn't always feel that way. I'm sure they felt defeated at times, scared, sinful, discouraged, overwhelmed, disappointed, forgotten; So Paul reminded them of the truth. He reminded them they were forgiven. He reminded them God would strengthen them. He reminded them Jesus holds everything together. He reminded them Christ lived within them. That was their reality. Not shame. Not despair. Not abandonment. But life, love, rescue, peace, and joy.

We pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy, always thanking the Father.

Colossians 1:11-1
 

Have you experienced God's rescue? His power? The joy only He can bring? Do you believe it's a real thing? Do you believe He is with you, holding everything together--holding you together? Do you believe, like David did, that God is good and you are the object of His affection; His Beloved; His precious daughter? Let Him restore the sparkle to your eye. Ask Him to fill your heart with hope, belief, strength, endurance, joy, and thankfulness. He will rescue you from the darkness and bring you back to the light.

He has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault. But you must continue to believe this truth and stand firmly in it. Don't drift away from the assurance you received when you heard the Good News.

Colossians 1:22-23

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture taken from the NLT.
Girl photo courtesy of freeimages.com
Sunrise photo by Cindy Riggs. © 2017. Used by permission. Al rights reserved.

The Good Shepherd

Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.

Worship the LORD with gladness;

Come before him with joyful songs.

Know that the LORD is God.

It is he who made us and we are his;

We are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving

and his courts with praise;

Give thanks to him and praise his name.

For the LORD is good,

and his love endures forever;

His faithfulness continues through all generations.

Psalm 100

Have you ever thought about your emotions being directly tied to how you see God and how He sees you? We are often driven by our emotions. This can be a good thing or a bad thing. How would you describe your current mood?

How you feel might be a result of what happened today or recently, what you are looking forward to, or what you are dreading. You might be over the moon with joy or excitement, or you might be in the depths of despair. Most of the time we live in between the two extremes, but how we feel is often tied to our circumstances. How is your mood today affected by what is currently happening in your life?

Living this way makes life feel like a roller-coaster. One day we're up, another we're down. This week is great, but the next might be terrible. We might make good or poor choices to contribute to the way we feel, or the actions of others might be a factor, but either way it's an unstable foundation. Psalm 100 provides a new way, a better way. Are you interested?

Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.

Worship the LORD with gladness;

Come before him with joyful songs.

First of all, it's about choosing joy. Notice it doesn't say, 'Shout for joy when you feel like it, when things are good, when you have no reason to be sad or angry or frustrated.' It just says, 'Shout for joy, worship with gladness, and come before him with joy.' This requires us to see God a certain way. The next verse tells us how.

Know that the LORD is God.

It is he who made us, and we are his;

We are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

How you see God and how you believe He sees you are critical to how you feel and your ability to choose joy no matter what else is going on in your life. Thinking again about your current mood and how your circumstances are affecting that, how does bringing God into your thoughts change things? If the change is for the better, you likely have a proper view of God, and yourself as His beloved child. You only need to keep the truth close to your heart. But if thinking about God makes it worse--you're angry or feel abandoned, then your view of God needs an adjustment.

This might sound overly simple, but God is God, and He is your God. He is with you and will help you. He calls Himself the Good Shepherd, and we are His sheep. Visualize yourself as a part of His flock. What does a shepherd do? Cares for the sheep, meets their needs, protects them, guides them. If one wanders off, He goes after it. Even sin and mistakes don't disqualify you from His love and perfect care, but believing in His presence can make a radical difference.

Believing these things will change the way you feel. Faith in His love and expecting good things from God will improve your mood. Joy and peace can come when you don't think they can.

Go ahead, try it. Begin and finish each day with belief, praise, and thanksgiving, and see where that daily practice leads you and affects your outlook.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving

and his courts with praise;

Give thanks to him and praise his name.

For the LORD is good,

and his love endures forever;

His faithfulness continues through all generations.