Reason #240
"For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And the ransom He paid was not mere silver or gold. He paid for you with the precious lifeblood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God." - 1 Peter 1:18-19
I go through these phases. Periods where I just feel so unworthy, and so amazed at what He sees in me. Amazed that He chose me, chooses me, values me. Awestruck that He would consider me valuable. And so as I studied for my Sunday school lesson yesterday, I came across this verse and my heart was so grateful.
Here's the honest, vulnerable truth. I don't always feel valuable. I look at the standards of the world, the examples and ideals of perfection, my own skewed standards of measurement, and after all is said and done, I feel far from valuable. And so I act that way, I think that way, and I become discouraged. Because I know full well I won't ever meet those standards. I know I won't measure up to those ideals. I know me, I see me, and it would be a real stretch to even get close to the world's definition of value.
Valuable things are protected. Set aside to be kept in good condition. Valuable things are to be respected because, if treated differently, they will lose their value, depreciate. But when cared for, when kept in good condition, these things of value appreciate. The value grows and so does the desire to posses such a good.
Rare, special, desireable... strong words. But the world says different. The world says average, ordinary, common, regular, flawed. So my mom, who always has the right thing to say, shared an analogy with me today. A brand new, crisp $100 bill is worth $100. A folded $100 is worth $100. A $100 bill that has been marked on is worth $100. A $100 bill that has been crumpled up, stepped on, run through the washing machine, and passed from one hand to another is worth $100. And so, this bill that starts out fresh and new is worth $100. But even after it has been circulated for years and faced much wear and tear, its vaule remains. And who wouldn't gladly accept a $100 bill in any form?
But we are worth more than a $100 bill. We're more valuable than precious metals or stones. Because we were bought at the highest price possible. Expensive and valued, we most definitely are. Bought with precious, life giving blood. The ultimate sacrifice made for you and I, not because it had to be done, but because He desired us as His own. So He paid the high price for us because He deemed us worth it. And He cares for us because He paid too much for us to let us depreciate. So I'm grateful that, in His eyes, we never lose value. I'm grateful that, regardless of what the world says, regardless of how we feel, we don't depreciate in His sight as time passes. And although I go through my phases of feeling like a crumpled up, worn down $100 bill, I'm so grateful that the value He placed in me remains no matter the state I'm in, my current condition, my appearance, my history, my feelings, or my ideas. For the price was paid in full, paid in advance, paid out of sincere love, and I'm so incredibly thankful that when He looks at me, He still sees value and will gladly accept me in any form.
#240 - Because He deems me valuable.
"So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son. He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins." - Ephesians 1:6-7
I go through these phases. Periods where I just feel so unworthy, and so amazed at what He sees in me. Amazed that He chose me, chooses me, values me. Awestruck that He would consider me valuable. And so as I studied for my Sunday school lesson yesterday, I came across this verse and my heart was so grateful.
Here's the honest, vulnerable truth. I don't always feel valuable. I look at the standards of the world, the examples and ideals of perfection, my own skewed standards of measurement, and after all is said and done, I feel far from valuable. And so I act that way, I think that way, and I become discouraged. Because I know full well I won't ever meet those standards. I know I won't measure up to those ideals. I know me, I see me, and it would be a real stretch to even get close to the world's definition of value.
Valuable things are protected. Set aside to be kept in good condition. Valuable things are to be respected because, if treated differently, they will lose their value, depreciate. But when cared for, when kept in good condition, these things of value appreciate. The value grows and so does the desire to posses such a good.
Rare, special, desireable... strong words. But the world says different. The world says average, ordinary, common, regular, flawed. So my mom, who always has the right thing to say, shared an analogy with me today. A brand new, crisp $100 bill is worth $100. A folded $100 is worth $100. A $100 bill that has been marked on is worth $100. A $100 bill that has been crumpled up, stepped on, run through the washing machine, and passed from one hand to another is worth $100. And so, this bill that starts out fresh and new is worth $100. But even after it has been circulated for years and faced much wear and tear, its vaule remains. And who wouldn't gladly accept a $100 bill in any form?
But we are worth more than a $100 bill. We're more valuable than precious metals or stones. Because we were bought at the highest price possible. Expensive and valued, we most definitely are. Bought with precious, life giving blood. The ultimate sacrifice made for you and I, not because it had to be done, but because He desired us as His own. So He paid the high price for us because He deemed us worth it. And He cares for us because He paid too much for us to let us depreciate. So I'm grateful that, in His eyes, we never lose value. I'm grateful that, regardless of what the world says, regardless of how we feel, we don't depreciate in His sight as time passes. And although I go through my phases of feeling like a crumpled up, worn down $100 bill, I'm so grateful that the value He placed in me remains no matter the state I'm in, my current condition, my appearance, my history, my feelings, or my ideas. For the price was paid in full, paid in advance, paid out of sincere love, and I'm so incredibly thankful that when He looks at me, He still sees value and will gladly accept me in any form.
#240 - Because He deems me valuable.
"So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son. He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins." - Ephesians 1:6-7
I like to think of myself as a piece of cracked pottery. Even though I have scars and gaps, those are places where Christ shines through. You were fearlessly and wonderfully made! - Alyson
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