You are Precious

I don’t know about you, but it’s hard to stare my self-worth smack between the eyes. I do NOT talk about it or share it or post it, I just kinda sit back and know that it’s there. What about you? Yesterday, my church began…

…the bi-annual 21 days of prayer and fasting where we are encouraged to make a sacrifice (fast) with something and really focus all of ourselves to prayer. Admittedly, I wasn’t a huge fan at first several years ago when we were new to our church. Simply put, I love chips and CocaCola Classic. Can I get a witness?! Can God not speak to me if I’m chomping on a delicious bag of kettle-cooked salt and vinegar chips? The prayer thing, I was fine with.

As I began to explore a little more into the purpose of it all, I realized that for myself, I wasn’t comfortable evaluating my walk with Jesus. I didn’t like looking into the cobwebbed corners of topics I didn’t like discussing or even acknowledging, much less bringing them before the Lord for Him to reveal Himself and change me.

But friends, this is NOT how we grow. If we wanna move closer to Him, have ‘more of Jesus’, and learn His heart for His people (that’s YOU, if you know Him), then we have to let Him in on it all… and THAT even means receiving what HE says about you and acknowledging that you are worth what He says you are worth.

“Don’t be afraid,” he said, “for you are very precious to God. Peace! Be encouraged! Be strong!” As he spoke these words to me, I suddenly felt stronger and said to him, “Please speak to me, my lord, for you have strengthened me.” Daniel 10:19

In this passage, Daniel has encountered an angel that is bringing him a message. The angel was ‘held up’ for 21 days before he made it to Daniel – this is spiritual warfare. That particular angel had to have backups come in and help him fight so that he could get to Daniel and give him the message. Question: did God know this was going to happen? … … absolutely. He’s God, right? He allowed the message to be delivered  21 days ‘late’  for something…

I believe that God allows us to ‘wrestle’ with things in our own hearts so that we see for ourselves HE is the answer. At least, that’s what I feel like He does for me. And when I read: … you are very precious to God… I wrestle. I wrestle wondering if that’s me or if that’s just Daniel. I let my flesh walk in and begin the road of ‘have I been good enough to be called precious’ or ‘what do I have to do to get the title of precious to God’… just being honest.

Friends, we all struggle with this; because the truth is, if we really believed that we were precious to God, if we really believed that we are who He says we are and that He did, in fact, save us from sin and an eternal hell, then maybe we would begin to value what God values: people. Not solely our works for Him (which are awesome), not our knowledge of doctrine (which is super important), not our over-eagerness to love the organizations or churches we are connected with (which are needed and loved), not our social media presence on how many followers we can shove our beliefs towards (all with good intentions, of course)… people. You. You matter. You are precious. I am precious.

Say those words out loud: I matter. I am precious to God. It raises up the Spirit of God in me to be reminded that I am precious – even if it’s uncomfortable. This leads to love, loving myself and others… which leads to sharing the Gospel… which is again love… and letting others know they are precious.

You are precious. Don’t just hold on to that today but share it with others that they are precious too: this is the Gospel.