What Makes Something Precious?

 Is there anything that you would change about yourself...? If you ask that question to most people, they might have a long list of things. We often measure ourselves by appearance, ability, success, possessions, or the opinions of others. And some of those things may be in our power to change - but many are not.

And I'm guessing that each of us is very aware of our limitations and perceived shortcomings. And the world is more than happy to point out our shortcomings. But the Apostle Peter wrote that God has given us "very great and precious promises."

2 Peter 1:3-4 (NIV)

His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. (4) Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

The word precious here means 'valuable, costly, honored, esteemed, beloved'. Peter isn't just telling us that God's promises are valuable. He's telling us why they're valuable. They're precious because they come from God - because they are promises only God can fulfill. Those promises reveal God's heart toward His people. Which then raises an important question... How does God see those who belong to Him? God sees you as precious.

I think of my own children as 'precious' - but I don't really like to think of myself as 'precious'. "Oh that Ronnie - he's just so precious!" But if I think of the meaning of the word as 'valuable, beloved' - I get a little more insight into God's view of me. I think most of us struggle at times with the idea that we're valuable to God because we're so aware of our failures. But the Bible paints a very different picture.

One reason you're precious to God...

I. God created you

The God of the universe cares for you! It's impossible for us to fathom the depths of God's incredible love for us. In and of ourselves, there's really nothing to attract Him to us; there's nothing we can do or be to impress Him. But we are precious - valuable, beloved - in God's sight. Our value does not come from what we accomplish. Our value comes from the One who created us. And God created you...

A. In His image

We all know that the Bible says that God created mankind in His image. It says this in Genesis 1:27 (NIV)...

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

And we usually think about it in general terms, but I want you to think about it in very specific terms - that God specifically made you in His image.

Most of us can list things about us that we'd like to change. And it's hard to imagine that these characteristics may be there as a part of God's master design. Look at what the Psalmist wrote about God's masterful work in the womb...

Psalms 139:13-16 (NIV)

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. (14) I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. (15) My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, (16) your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.

I'm amazed by the advances of ultrasound technology from when we had our first child years ago. Now the details of a 3D ultrasound are incredible! We can see what that verse from Psalms is talking about! We can see things we've never seen before! But none of it is new to God. He has seen every single one of us as He has knit us together, in His image.

When you look in the mirror each day, do you always look the same? Do you look the same as you did ten years ago? - 20 years? - 30 years? Your 'image' will change. Your image is transient - temporary. Who I am changes, my understanding and experiences, my abilities change over the course of my life. We gain some abilities and lose others as we age, as our health changes - many things about us change. Your 'image' changes. God's image does not.

God's image is always the same. And you are created in that image. Things about us and around us will change - but because you are created in God's image, who you are, your value, your worth, your 'preciousness' to God - that doesn't change! God created you, in His image, and...

B. God knows you fully

God does not see us the way the world sees us. Before anyone else had an opinion about us, before anyone else saw our strengths or weaknesses - God already knew us.

`When God first created Eve, we can be sure that she was created perfect. There was nothing imperfect in creation at that time. She may have been the sweetest woman in the world with the most amazing singing voice or perhaps a great artist or dancer. - Maybe an amazing wife and mother? But - we know her for none of that. What do we know? She was everything God intended humanity to be - but she sinned by eating that fruit - and that one failure became the thing that history remembers.

Do you ever feel like that? Like your strengths are all ignored, and all everyone seems to focus on in your life are your flaws and your faults? We were created in God's image, but we all have a sinful nature. So we are all broken - none of us are perfect. Sin distorted God's image in us. But sin didn't erase God's desire to restore us. God knows you and He sees His workmanship, even in your brokenness or faults.

But if sin has broken us and separated us from God, how can a holy God still call us precious? How can something broken become valuable again?

I've shared this before. There's a Japanese art form called 'kintsukuroi'. When a pot or bowl is broken, a skilled artist will join or mend the pieces together with gold or silver. It's based on the idea that in embracing flaws and imperfections instead of hiding or disguising them, you can create an even stronger, more beautiful piece of art. It repairs the bowl from its broken state and adds to the history of the bowl. It actually makes the mended broken piece worth more than it was before - because the bowl now reflects the skill of the master who repaired it.

The world often takes this idea and turns it into, "Embrace your brokenness, it's beautiful because it's yours." God says something very different, and much more powerful. Your value comes not from your brokenness, but from the One who can completely restore you. God created you, in His image and He fully knows you - and...

II. God redeemed you

The value of something is not always determined just by what it is. A simple object can become priceless because of the relationship behind it. We are not valuable because we are perfect. How can something broken become valuable again? The answer is found in what God was willing to do for us. We are valuable, precious, because God loved us enough to redeem us. God bought you...

A. With a price

Do you have any possessions you consider 'precious'? It may not be something of any real worth - but it's precious to you?

Many of you know my son Sullivan. He was very much like I was when I was a kid - he was pretty shy. In fact, he was so shy, early on he was pretty timid when it came to even approaching my father, his grandfather. There was no way Papa was getting a hug back then.

When we were on vacation years ago, we stopped at an Iron Mine in Michigan and Sully picked out a small polished stone and paid for it himself - 25 whole cents! That's a big deal for a little kid! And he specifically bought it for Papa Buche. Papa told him he would carry it so that every time he'd put his hand in his pocket and touched that stone, he'd think of Sully. That stone, which was probably overpriced at 25 cents, is now precious!

The stone was not precious in and of itself. It was precious because of who gave it. We're not precious because we have something impressive to offer God. We're precious because Jesus gave something priceless for us.

When sin entered the picture, the image of God in mankind was distorted. When that happened, we became enemies of God, resisting His blessings, rejecting His name and following a path that leads to eternal separation. God never stopped loving His children, but their sin created a barrier that separated them from the relationship He desired with them. But God will not give up!

The Apostle John wrote, "This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins." John the Baptist announced, "Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world." And we know Jesus' own words, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him."

For those who choose to accept Jesus - God redeemed you from the fall; He purchased you with the blood of His Son and has washed away all your sins! He adopted you as His own child; He made you a part of His Bride - the Church! He has put His own Spirit within you! He is transforming you more and more into the likeness of His Son!

1 Peter 1:18-19 (NIV)

For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, (19) but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.

With His own precious blood, Jesus paid the price for our sins, and set us free from the bondage of sin, from eternal separation from God, and made us precious again in God's sight.

Sully bought a stone with his own money as a gift and it's now precious to Papa. Jesus gave His life, His own precious blood as a gift for our salvation - and you now belong to God as a precious treasure. And one more reason you are precious to God - God redeemed you...

B. For a purpose

God did not redeem us just from something. He redeemed us for something. God paid the price for your salvation and He saved you for a purpose! God has plans and a purpose for you!

Each of us can make bad choices and really mess up our lives. We can be broken just like that clay bowl I showed earlier. But if you are willing to let God use you - you can't mess up so badly that you derail God's purpose for your life. You can't surprise God! You can ignore God, and you might be able to delay God's purpose for your life - but no matter where you end up - if you are willing to let God use you - no matter how broken you may see yourself - God has a purpose for your life and He will use you for His purpose!

Your failures do not make God abandon His purpose. Your past does not prevent God from using your future. God uses whom He will use for His purposes and God has a purpose for all those He has redeemed; those who are precious to Him! Paul wrote...

Colossians 3:1-2 (NIV)

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. (2) Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.

Then, in 3:17 He writes...

Colossians 3:17 (NIV)

And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

But here's the catch - do you trust God enough to faithfully follow Him even if He never reveals what that purpose is...? We may never see His full purpose portrayed in one generation, but God works over the course of our lives and beyond.

The 'little shepherd boy David' who grew up to be King of Israel was promised the Messiah would be his descendant, but Jesus wasn't born until many, many, many generations later. David died way before that promise was fulfilled. And what about Bathsheba whose affair with David produced Solomon who would become the wisest man in the Bible and build God's temple?

And what about all the 'unnamed people' in the Bible - the woman at the well, the thief on the cross, the boy with the loaves and fish, the poor widow who gave her small offering? Did any of them have any idea about the huge purpose for which God used their lives? Did they know we'd still be talking about them and their faith today? No!

When you trust God and faithfully follow no matter what - your life will have a tremendous impact for God's Kingdom! We become precious in His sight because He knows that our lives can be living testimonies of His presence, His power and His purpose! Most of the time, our limited spiritual view is much too small to understand God's larger plans. But just because we don't understand doesn't mean that God doesn't have a plan and a purpose for you.

So What?

Remember the question we started with, "Is there anything you would change about yourself?" Every one of us could probably answer 'yes'. There are things we wish were different, that we could change, things we wish weren't there.

But the most important question isn't, "What do I see when I look at myself?" The most important question is, "What does God see when He looks at me?" We'll never be able to fully see ourselves the way God sees us, but we can't let the world dictate how we see ourselves! The Bible tells us - God sees someone He created - in His image! He sees someone He redeemed - for a purpose! You are precious to God! You are valuable! You are loved! You are 'valuable, costly, honored, esteemed, beloved' by God because of the relationship He has with you!

Do you remember at the beginning the phrase Peter used in the scripture I shared, "very great and precious promises"? God has promised us a future hope in Heaven and an abundant life here. But He never promised we'd never have troubles – in fact, Jesus actually promised we would have troubles. But He did promise that God works all things together for good for those who love Him. And Jesus promised He would be with us to the very end.

The longer you're on this journey of faith, the more seasoned you get, the more trials you face – the more precious those 'very great and precious promises' become. Take the time this week to thank God for what He has done for you and find someone else to tell about what God has done for you! And who knows, maybe that is part of your divine purpose for being here in the first place…