The Value of Life

"How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand. When I awake, I am still with you." Psalm 139:17-18

I wanted to remind us today of God’s love for us.

I am sure that I have written and blogged about my men’s group before because it’s a place where as men, we are being real, honest, and raw with each other and willing to invest, show up, and be in each other’s corners. It’s a unique thing.

I remember the first time a bloke in the group told me he loved me. I didn’t find it an easy thing to hear. I guess in part because I see the real me, and at times, I don’t feel that loveable. But it was deeper than that; hearing a mate tell me he loved me, but then tell me why, was incredibly powerful. Being told you are loved, then why, the details around what it is that is seen in you, that being called out and brought to the surface, is hard to hear, but amazing.

This Psalm from David does a bit of this; he calls out that God has searched his heart, knows him in the deepest of ways, and still loves him. When we think about God loving us, we might think, "Yeah, but I am this sort of person, I have done this, hurt these people, I lived and acted like this." God already sees all of that, and still loves you. Yes, he calls you to trust him, turn from sin in your life, and follow him, but I believe he sees us before any of that turning to him, and loves us.

God so loved the world he sent his only son on humanity’s biggest rescue mission ever, to rescue YOU!

So, know that you are loved; a restored relationship with God is available because of Jesus, and I think part of that new life is that you are called to be a vessel of that love to the people around you. If you feel that invitation, start with prayer. Invite Jesus to show you how.

Devotional Prayer

Forgive me, Jesus, when I don’t see this in focus, the value you have put on my life, and that of the people around me. I want to know how you see others, to love others better, to love myself better too. Teach me this journey, Jesus, and help me to grow in wisdom in the value of life and your desire to connect with me.