In my bedroom there is a jar. It sits on top of my dresser right beside the television set. It is a small glass jar with a glass lid. It is only about five inches tall and equally as wide. Inside the jar is my loose change. Whatever is left in my pockets at the end of the day, that didn't make into the seat cushion or in the nearest Coke machine- goes in the jar. Not much change either. It is only about half full, or half empty depending on the level of your melancholy. Mine tends to be high.
I don't know exactly how much change is in their. In fact, I couldn't even guess. There are pennies, nickels, dimes, maybe a few quarters (but not too many quarters -remember the Coke machine, oh and gumball machines too, those will eat up your quarters). The point is, its just there. I don't know how much money is in it. I don't count this money and I don't depend on it for anything important. So, it is unimportant to me. If it were gone tomorrow- it would probably be a few weeks before I missed it. Just not that important.
In my office there are four bookshelves. On those books shelves are my books. Fitting right? Five hundred and five of them. I know this because I have a computer program that catalogues them for me. It gives me a summary at the end of each session and on that summary it tells me how many books I have. At last count there were 505. I love my books, they (unlike the loose change jar) are extremely important to me. I have them categorized by topic and arranged alphabetically (thanks to one diligent youth from the youth group, thank you Aimee!). I am proud of these books, they are mine and I use them frequently. Lots of hard work and moments of joy are represented by the books that set atop those shelves. Good, good memories! The point is - I know the details of those books because they are important to me. They are valuable, so I know them intimately. Just like our Heavenly Father knows us.
In the Gospel of Luke, the twelfth chapter Jesus teaches us how God views us. Here are a few conclusions:
God Remembers You.
In verse six of that chapter Jesus states that God has detailed knowledge of all the birds of the air and then he says that not one of them is forgotten by God. There are lots of birds in the air. Huge numbers of them and none of them are forgotten by God. I think the point is this- if God remembers the birds, will He not also remember you? Remember - like in the Old Testament when it says that God remembered Israel and heard their cry of slavery in Egypt. He did not forget His promise to them, His plan was not set on a shelf, nor did His promises fall by the wayside. He remembers us, to do good for us. And if He will remember the birds of the air, how much more will He remember those who bear His image, who have been redeemed by the blood of His only Son.
God Values You.
Twice in this passage Jesus says that we are more valuable than the birds (12.7, 12.24). He even goes as far as to say that we are more valuable than many birds. I think he is saying that creatures, who do not bear His image, are valuable to Him. How much more valuable is someone who has been created in His image and then redeemed by the blood of his one and only Son. Therefore, we are of great value to our Heavenly Father.
God Provides For You
The passage concludes with an admonition not to worry about what you will eat or what you will wear and not to seek after these things. The reason for all of this is that God knows what our needs are. He is not wondering what we need and anxiously waiting for us to ask, as if he needs a little insight to our situation. And beyond his knowledge of the situation is His promise to provide these things for us (12.24, 12.28). He has our best interest at heart and in the end He will ultimately give us what is best. Even if that means that our temporary life in the flesh is replaced by an eternal one.
These are good promises. They are truth and need to be ran through our mind over and over. Truth comes from God’s Word and truth brings healing. The repetition or remembering of this truth will transform our mind (Romans 12:2) and begin the healing that our soul desperately needs.
Wanting My Soul To Be Healed,
Mitch
Comments
p.s. you forgot about those youth that worked diligently to take some of those books out of order! :)