You Are More Precious Than Diamonds

"… you are precious in my eyes ... and I love you." Isaiah 43:4a (ESV)

No Greater Love

Precious in God’s eyes? Could it be true?

It’s amazing that God clearly demonstrates our value throughout the Bible. Imagine anything on this earth that we value, and it’s incomparable to how God feels about us.

Think for a moment about diamonds. They are one of the most precious items in creation. They are rare, beautiful and highly prized. But they are nothing compared to how God values us.

Does God really think you and I are more precious than diamonds? We — who trip and fall and fail more often than we care to admit?

It’s so easy to make an assertion without any facts to back it up. If you stopped right there and assumed this title is true — that you really are more precious than diamonds, you could go away feeling better about yourself without having any foundation on which to base your good feelings.

And how long would that last? Not very long, I’m afraid.

So, if we’re going to compare ourselves to diamonds, how much is a diamond worth anyway? In 2013, a nearly 60-carat flawless pink diamond called the "Pink Star" was auctioned by Sotheby’s for a whopping $83.2 million. That made it the most expensive jewel or diamond ever sold at auction.

But the most precious diamond, we’re told, is the Koh-i-Noor, now part of the British Crown Jewels collection. Experts say this gem cannot be valued — it’s calculated to be approximately 3.5 times the wealth of the whole world!

These diamonds are incredibly valuable to us. But to God, diamonds just aren’t that precious. Nor are other costly stones, or even gold. After all, in heaven He uses gold for paving streets, pearls for gates instead of wrought iron (Revelation 21:21) and gems to decorate the foundations of the heavenly city (Revelation 21:19).

But you? Now, that’s another matter. God has formed many diamonds. But He made only one you. You are unique. You are unlike anyone else who has ever lived or ever will live. He made you because He wants someone exactly like you. He has plans for you.

You may be feeling pretty worthless right now, beaten down. Life has probably thrown more at you than you can handle. You don’t feel worth as much as a rhinestone, let alone a diamond.

Take heart! "You are precious in my eyes," God says, "and I love you" (Isaiah 43:4a). God never said He loved a diamond but He does say He loves you.

Don’t feel it?

Just think about this: We are so precious to God that He sent His only Son, Jesus, to this earth to die so you and I wouldn’t have to die because of the way we have messed up our lives with sin.

Author David Eckman, in Becoming Who God Intended, pictures God explaining this to us: "My Son is dying for you because you are worth a Son to Me."

Just think of it: God says, "You are worth a Son to Me"!

If you’ve ever doubted your own worth, or don’t know where to go from where you are, or you’re losing heart … then listen to Father God saying to you, "You are important enough to Me to justify the death of My Son. I want to have a close and intimate relationship with you."

Don’t wait another minute. Run. Yes, run to His arms right now. Let Him whisper these words to you, "I love you, I love you."

Taken from Proverbs 31 Ministries

Precious in His Sight

The following devotion serves as an awesome reminder of Jesus Christ's love for us and that no sin - past, present, or future - is beyond His grace, mercy and forgiveness.  No matter where we've come from or where we are, we are precious in His sight and nothing can separate us from His love.  What a beautiful truth.  Be blessed!

You Are Not a Throwaway Person

"Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, 'Where are your accusers? Didn't even one of them condemn you?' 'No, Lord,' she said. And Jesus said, 'Neither do I. Go and sin no more.'" John 8:10-11 (NLT)

It was just an old broken can opener, but Michael, my young son, saw something of great value.

When he walked into the kitchen, this "treasure" on the cabinet piqued his curiosity. He asked if he could play with it as he ran his little hands over it, checking out all its nifty parts. Better yet, could he keep it?

I didn't really think he could get hurt since it was broken, but I explained why it was not a toy.

Despite my insistence, he proceeded to make his case for gaining possession of the can opener. Finally, growing weary of this discussion, I used my maternal "I mean it" tone and told him to throw the broken can opener away and go play.

Suddenly, little Michael's demeanor changed. His shoulders slumped and his skinny little arms hung limp beside his body, as if all the bones had left them completely.

Then for sentimental effect, he poked out his bottom lip and stared up at me with big, blue, puppy-dog eyes, uttering this question in the sweetest sounding, most pitiful little-boy voice he could muster: "Well Mommy, if I was broken, would you just throw me away?"

Whoa! Didn't see that one coming. Our conversation about a silly can opener just got complicated. I chuckled, gave him a big hug, and reassured him he was too valuable to me to ever be thrown away — even if he were completely broken.

Satisfied with my answer, he skipped off with the can opener, cord flopping behind him. I was left stunned, pondering the weight of his question.

My thoughts went back to years earlier when I felt like that can opener because of mistakes in my past: broken and useless, void of value. But then a smile washed across my face as I remembered the day God told me I was too valuable in His eyes to ever be thrown away, much like He did for the woman found in John chapter 8.

John opens this chapter with Jesus confronting a group of religious leaders who had brought a woman before Him who'd been caught in adultery. They asked Jesus what they should do with her.

Before shaming her before Jesus, the crowd had already decided this woman was a throwaway person. A useless sinner. A woman who had made mistakes and wrong choices and should be held accountable for her actions to the highest degree: death by stoning.

But Jesus saw more when He looked at that woman. He looked past her sin and shame and saw her value — a value she most likely didn't even see in herself.

The leaders asked Jesus what He thought of her sin. They wanted Him to accuse her and affirm her worthlessness so they could begin the stoning, but He did just the opposite. He not only refused to accuse her, but also challenged her accusers: "All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!" John 8:7b (NLT)

One by one, they dropped their stones, turned and left. Jesus' words proved to the crowd and to this broken woman that, despite her sin and the mistakes she had made, her life mattered.

Certainly this woman knew she'd done wrong. Maybe deep in her heart she felt she deserved her punishment. Maybe she hung her head ready to accept the blows, thinking her life lacked purpose. But Jesus knew her worth. Her value. He knew the purposes for which He'd created her. And He wanted her to know that, too.

None of us is a throwaway person, because no one is ever beyond repair in God's eyes. He is the ultimate restorer of people, hearts and lives. Restoration brings transformation, and the faith to believe our lives truly do matter to God.

Lord, thank You for loving me, despite me. Help me see the value You see in me and to trust You have an amazing plan for my future. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

TRUTH FOR TODAY:

Ephesians 1:7, "In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace." (ESV)

Taken from Proverbs 31 Ministries.