Valuable
By Sarah Walker
By Sarah Walker
See what kind of love the
Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we
are.
1 John 3:1a (ESV)
1 John 3:1a (ESV)
God tells me in His Word
that I am valuable to Him. He tells me that I am cherished. He tells me that He
made me. That I am made in His image, and that I am fearfully and wonderfully
made. He tells me that He has placed his Spirit inside of me. That I am a
temple, a dwelling place, for the Holy Spirit. He tells me that my beauty comes
from within, from where He resides and transforms. He tells me that my beauty
cannot be wiped off or washed away at the end of the day. That my value is not
found in what other people say or believe about me. He tells me that I am His
daughter, broken and sinful. He tells me that I am His daughter, repentant and weeping.
He tells me that I am His daughter, redeemed and restored.
He tells me all these
things…
Yet, do I believe Him?
Or do I just repeat these truths on the surface without allowing them to sink
in, to penetrate, to go deep? Do I truly believe that when I confess my sins to
Him and repent, that He is faithful and just to forgive and cleanse me? [1] What if I took God at His Word, and truly believed Him, and then
lived my life as though everything He tells me is true? What would I do
differently? What would I perceive differently?
Perhaps I would learn to
value myself the way He values me, not selling myself so easily to anyone who
flatters me or shows a desire to be around me. Perhaps I would risk more for
Him, believing that He is all I need and that my life is hidden with Jesus in
God. [2] Perhaps I would
begin to view other people as having that same intrinsic value and treat them
as lovingly as my Heavenly Father does. Perhaps I would stop submitting to
these old chains and learn to value things the way God does.
Oh, to believe God and
catch His heart for what He determines to be truly of value!
GOING DEEPER:
1. If
you truly believe that God says you are valuable, is there anything you would
do differently?
2. If
you truly believe that God says other people are just as valuable, is there
anything you would do differently?
Sarah is married to Scott and is a
full-time mom to their two young sons. She and Scott are involved in a small
group focused on prayer.
[1]
1 John 1:9
[2] Colossians 3:3
[2] Colossians 3:3
