Day One // Reading: Matthew 3:17

Devotional

Lie: I’m not worthy of love.

TRUTH: I am valuable in the eyes of God. I am accepted and deeply loved. I am His child. Before I lift a finger, I am fiercely loved and valued by Him, and nothing I do will ever change that.

“This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy.”

—MATTHEW 3:17, NLT

We are starting this week by combating the lie that you are unloved. In fact, that specific lie couldn’t be further from the truth. You are deeply loved by your heavenly Father.

I love this passage in Matthew 3, the first book in the New Testament. Before Jesus ever does anything worthwhile in the eyes of others, God speaks in an audible voice from heaven and says the words in the verse above to Jesus. The same words He spoke over Jesus, He speaks over you, His daughter.

God calls YOU His daughter. The word “Son” in this passage means offspring, legitimate descendants, one who God cherishes, to view with favor, to desire, to choose with pleasure. When God calls you beloved daughter, it’s as if He’s saying to you: Baby girl, you are my daughter. I have marked you not only with My love, but with My identity. I know your true value and worth. With your identity as My child comes the love, care, provision, power, and authority that only I can bestow. You are Mine.

The word “loved” in this passage means being the object of a peculiar love, a holy bond, to be dear. You are loved by God. This very minute, He is thinking about you and loving you. His love is not based on what you have done or haven’t done. It’s not based on whether you have good grades or have utterly failed every class. It’s not based on what others think about you or how you view God. It’s not determined by how you look or feel. He simply, purely loves you.

And that’s not the end of this beautiful promise for your life. God tops it all off by saying, “You bring Me great joy.” Joy is different from tolerance. It is far different from mindless acceptance. Sometimes I think we believe God is simply tolerant of us, treating us like the awkward classmate you’re forced to sit next to in science class. That is not the way God views you or your life. He takes joy and pleasure in you. He wants to be with you. In fact, He would choose to be with you a thousand times over.

So next time you are tempted to view yourself as less than what God intended, I want you to repeat to yourself, “I am a joy to God.” What God was saying to Jesus, He is saying to you today: You are my gorgeous daughter. You are fabulously loved. And I’m over the moon about you.

Prayer: God, today I start out my week by thanking You that I am loved. I’m so loved that you take great joy in being with me, in being my Father. Help me see my life the way You see my life today.

Question: How does being loved by God change my view of myself?