Useful in God’s Sight!

I know of some people that love to go to garage sales. As they look around, they see items that have great value to them and other items that seem useless. The problem is that the value rests in the eye of the beholder. The phrase, “One man’s junk is another man’s treasure is so true. Even though in our daily lives, we may not always seem valued, this is not true for those who put their trust in God. From the book of Exodus 19, we read, “You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself. Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation...” There is no more precious identity to have than to be God’s treasured possession. You belong to Him. We read again in Colossians 3 that as those precious to God, there is also an expectation of how we carry ourselves -“Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.” That identity cannot be any clearer than what we read in 1 Peter 2, “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.” In our world today, when someone famous or of great importance values something, he or she causes the value goes up for everyone. The same is true with God. If God is for us, who can be against us? By faith, we become children of God, His ambassadors, saints, etc. Even in Psalm 23, as it speaks of His “goodness and mercy following us”, the word for follow means to relentlessly hound. That means God will not give up on you unless you have died without faith. So, the next time you are tempted to despair, be reminded that you are a child of the Most High God. Father, we are often quick to turn from You and embrace the world. Remind us of our great identity when we walk by faith. Amen