Precious

What is your self-worth?

How do you measure yourself?

What is your worth in others' eyes?

Society tells us that our worth is based on what you have done. The more you do, the better you are. The more you have, the better you are. If you have a significant other you are a better person. If you are striving for the American dream, you are worth respect.

How often we get caught in the rat race of life. We try to be someone, earn others' respect, and make ourselves look good. We climb the ladder of worth one rung at a time. But it is never enough. There's always something more we can do to become a somebody.

You're nobody til somebody loves you.

That's what they tell us.

It's easy to think tat if we just get that job and move into that house and get that girl or guy, our lives will be a little better.

But now? You're unemployed, single, and living with our parents. You're not a real person. When people ask you what you do, you shamefacedly admit to your lowly place in society and watch the look on their faces as they put a giant L on your forehead. You are a Loser. A nobody.

God doesn't see you that way.

"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 gold or silver. It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God."

1 Peter 1:18-19

You are somebody. Not the loser that lives with their parents. Not that single person with no love life future. You are PRECIOUS.

Jesus was the only way for sinners to come back to God. His blood was the only price to be paid,.It was unique and one of a kind. Gold and silver are only precious because they are rare. They are very dear and expensive. But the Bible calls them "mere". Like they're every day run of the mill metals. 

How much more dear must Jesus' blood be! And God willingly paid that price for you. Not because you are a good investment or because He'll get a good return from you. Because he loves you. 

God sees you as precious. Otherwise He wouldn't have sen Jesus. 

But He did. 

He has given you worth. You have a price and it was Jesus' blood. And it was paid in full. Because you are precious to Him. 

Don't let Satan tell you otherwise. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. No matter your station on life. 

You are a precious child of the most high God. Live like it.

Shake us up, Lord!

Because He Said So

Sometimes I wish I could change the world. Maybe that's why I blog.

I know usually blogs are just people journaling or letting off steam. No one really takes this stuff seriously. I mean, I know I don't read some blog and then think "Oh! What a great idea! I will now put this into practice!" Sure, I may think it's a great plan but I rarely put it into practice because it's just too much effort and I like the way I am.

Change is hard. I like to think of myself as a pretty easy-going, flexible person. Change can be good but it is still hard. It's easier to do nothing than make an effort to do something when it might fail. That's my thinking anyway. I take life as it comes at me...I'm not generally a boat-rocker. But no matter how hard it is to change: change we must.

You see, without change, we become lazy and set in our ways. Without change the bad things in our lives become worse. I know you may not see our disunity as a bad thing. It's not great but it's not that bad either. But over and over again in the New Testament unity of the believers is brought up. Jesus prayed for it. Paul preached it. It may not seem important but if it is mentioned as something believers need to have then maybe we should take it seriously.

I know it may seem unimportant or unnecessary to try to break down the barriers of denominations. Truth is, I think we're scared to change.

I want to challenge you to  do more than than to read this and think, "Hmm nice thought" and then go about your business. Not because it's my blog and I want you to take me seriously. Not at all. I am not the important part of this blog. God is. His word says we should have complete unity and love sacrificially. That's what we need to take seriously. Because it's God's word and His Word is truth and final.

Shake us up, Lord!