Precious Jesus

 

This morning I sang a song with the line, “I’m a child of God, yes I am” and feel overwhelmed at the truth of that and the privilege. Yesterday I reviewed a list of people who are not children of God, those that I know personally and pray for, and felt overwhelmed but in a far different manner. The desire of my heart is to see them believe in Jesus and become part of God’s eternal family.

Being a child of God is most precious. Today’s devotional quotes 1 Peter 2:7: “So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone” then says, “The first part of that verse could be translated, “To you who believe, He is precious.”

Precious means “valuable,” “costly,” “without equal,” or “irreplaceable.” Christ is all that. I recognize His supreme value and regard Him with great affection, loving Him because He first loved me.

Jesus ties love for Jesus to faith, “ . . .  you have loved me and have believed that I came from God.” (John 16:27) Some might say God loves the world, and that is the reason Jesus came. However, this is not a love without relationship. That is, God loves me and if I know it, believe it and believe in Jesus, I will love Him in return, not walk away saying, ‘oh, that’s nice’ without a response. He wants a love relationship with those Jesus died for, for those He loves. Jesus even goes so far to say:

Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. (Matthew 10:37)

When Jesus came, His people the Jews rejected Him. Not all, but to those who did, He said:

If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but he sent me. Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies. But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me. (John 8:42–45)

Those are strong words. Even stronger, Jesus later said this about the response to His great love that He looked for:

If you love me, you will keep my commandments . . . . Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him . . . . If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father’s who sent me. (John 14:15–24)

I love my husband. That means I do not resist or rebel against everything he desires for me. I make my home with him. I listen to him. I think of ways to please him. Love does not shake a fist at Jesus or think His commands are foolish, or too difficult, or that I do not have time to be with Him or talk to Him, or tell others how much I adore Him. Love for Jesus should be very visible and obvious to those around me.

PRAY: Jesus, there are hours in my day filled with distractions. You are teaching me to do all because I love You, remembering that You are with me, relying on Your grace and enabling for the tasks of the day. Loving You and knowing You are with me because You love me is an extraordinary joy and indeed precious. May I be aware of the opportunities You give me to demonstrate my love for You to others by passing it on. Everyone wants to be loved, and being loved by You makes it possible to love others and care for them like You care for me. ❤❤❤

PONDER: 1 John 4:7–5:3 is about the love of God and how it affects me and my relationship with Him and with others. Read it a few times today.