I like to play piano, and several years ago I bought my first digital piano. It was a great joy for me, as I had played many years but never owned a piano of my own. When it got delivered I was excited! It was my pride and joy. I couldn’t wait to get home from work each day so I could play piano. I was inspired to write songs and record them, and give them to all my friends! I looked after it and if someone wanted to borrow it, well, I would have to think twice because, what if they didn’t take care of it?!
That piano meant a lot to me for two reasons:
1. I really wanted it!
2. It cost a lot of money!
Have you ever noticed how the more you pay for something, the more value it has to you and the more grieved you are if it gets damaged or lost?
Friends, the value you have to God is the price that He paid for you! Think about that! God gave His only Son to purchase our freedom, and there is nothing in all creation that had more value to Him than His Son. The price tag for our redemption was extremely high, but thank God that He was willing to pay it and as a result we are given eternal life by believing in Jesus Christ.
But did God pay such a high price to buy you, then put you up on a shelf somewhere in Heaven and forget about you? Of course not! If God were to sleep then He would get up every day excited to spend time with His new possession! Just as I had joy in my piano, God has joy in me! Remember the parable of the prodigal son? When the prodigal came home, the Father ran to meet him. He gave him the finest robe in the house, put a ring on his finger, killed the fatted calf and threw a party! In the same way, Heaven is filled with joy when a lost sinner returns to God.
God rejoices over every soul that comes to Him in repentance. But that joy doesn’t end there. The value you have to God will never diminish because the value of the Gift He gave to get you will never diminish. Do you know why you mean so much to God? Because 1 – He really wanted you, and 2 – you cost Him a lot!
How does God treat something that means so much to Him? Does He forget about it and go about His business? Of course not! To despise us, is to despise the price He paid to get us. In reality we are on His mind every day and He can’t wait to spend time with us.
I recently heard a testimony of a man who had a heart attack, and died and went to Heaven. When he got there, the Lord ran out to meet him! He put his arm round his shoulder, led him through Heaven and showed him off! Unfortunately the doctors managed to resuscitate him and he had to return to his body, but he was clearly moved by the love that the Lord showed him.
The Lord has no favourites and the way He treats one is the way He will treat all. The Lord loves you right now! You are His pride and joy! He wants to put His arm around you and show you off and say ‘Look what I’ve got!’
It’s time to believe the love that God has for us and to trust that He takes even better care of us than we would with our own things that we greatly value.
That’s why Jesus said:
‘So I tell you, don’t worry about every-day life – whether you have enough food, drink, and clothes…Look at the birds. They don’t need to plant or harvest or put food in barns because your heavenly Father feeds them. And you are far more valuable to Him than they are.’
Matt. 6:25-26
He went on to say:
‘So don’t be afraid, little flock. For it gives your Father great happiness to give you the Kingdom.’
Luke 12:32
Let’s not despise the great price God paid to purchase us, but understand that our value to Him is determined by what He was willing to give up in order to redeem us. Let’s understand that our salvation is a matter of eternal importance to God, and that, because of Christ, we are His daily joy! But let’s also make sure it stays that way by remaining faithful and continuing to do His will, as He warns us in Scripture:
‘A righteous person will live by faith. But I will have no pleasure in anyone who turns away.’
Hebrews 10:38
Amen.
