Valuable
1 Peter 1:18
For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors
1 Peter 1:18
For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors
At our house we watch a lot of “Pawn Stars”. If you are not
familiar with the show, it is a reality show where people bring things into a
pawn shop in Las Vegas, trying to make a deal. The things that I have seen brought
in range from dinosaur doodoo to expensive cars and boats, with prices ranging
from $5 to several thousand dollars. According to what we have gleaned, there
are several factors that affect the value of an object. Things that are rare
are more valuable. If on item is made from valuable materials or has fine
craftsmanship, its value increases. The value is greatly increased if it can be
proven that the piece has been owned or used by someone famous or important. In
the end, however, the value is what a buyer is willing to pay.
One of the enemy’s favorite weapons to use on me is to
undermine my sense of value. I have discovered that I have a lot of pride in
what I do, but feel doubtful about my innate worth as a person. I had a really
powerful experience with God Sunday where I was absolutely convinced that my
value is based on who I am to God, not what I do. I didn’t do too well today. I
lost my temper before I had been out of bed for an hour. Since I am skillful
with words, I was able to craft some excellent verbal barbs and passive
aggressive taunts. I was fearful and
anxious all morning and didn’t pull it together until after lunch.
If someone had brought me into the pawn shop of life today,
based on my actions, I probably would have fetched about as much as dinosaur
doodoo. Thankfully that is not what my valuation is based on. I am not just rare. I am one of a kind. I am a miracle of craftsmanship, being "knit together in my mother's womb" by Almighty God (Psalms 139). I have been bought by the blood of the son of God, which means I belong to the most important person in the universe and he was wiling to pay the ultimate price for me.
We are uniquely made and planned by God. He told Jeremiah in Jeremiah 1:9, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you and before you were born I set you apart." In Jeremiah 29:11 he says he knows the plans he has for us, plans for welfare and not for calamity. In 1 Corinthians 6:20, He reminds of why we should honor him. "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body."
On a final note, when a person pawns something and wants to get it back, he pays the value plus interest. This is known as redeeming the item. One of the names for Jesus is the Redeemer. Please stand with me in walking in redemption and understanding the value that God puts on us as his sones and daughters.
We are uniquely made and planned by God. He told Jeremiah in Jeremiah 1:9, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you and before you were born I set you apart." In Jeremiah 29:11 he says he knows the plans he has for us, plans for welfare and not for calamity. In 1 Corinthians 6:20, He reminds of why we should honor him. "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body."
On a final note, when a person pawns something and wants to get it back, he pays the value plus interest. This is known as redeeming the item. One of the names for Jesus is the Redeemer. Please stand with me in walking in redemption and understanding the value that God puts on us as his sones and daughters.
