His Prized Possessions

by Pastor Holly Johnson

Often when I am feeling discouraged, I read the Psalms and am reminded of the power of praise and rejoicing in Christ! “Let them praise the LORD for his great love and for all his wonderful deeds to them. For he broke down their prison gates of bronze; he cut apart their bars of iron” (Psalms 107:15-16, NLT). Praise truly does destroy bondages. As I was meditating upon His goodness and praising Him for whom He is, He spoke a simple word to my heart that said, “As you rejoice in Me, I also rejoice in you”. I thought Lord, how can that be. He then led me to a passage in Zephaniah 3:17-20 (NLT).

“ For the LORD your God has arrived to live among you. He is a mighty savior. He will rejoice over you with great gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will exult over you by singing a happy song. I will gather you who mourn for the appointed festivals; you will be disgraced no more. And I will deal severely with all who have oppressed you. I will save the weak and helpless ones; I will bring together those who were chased away. I will give glory and renown to my former exiles, who have been mocked and shamed. On that day I will gather you together and bring you home again. I will give you a good name, a name of distinction among all the nations of the earth. They will praise you as I restore your fortunes before their very eyes. I, the LORD, have spoken!"

At that moment, I was overwhelmed by the astounding amount of love that Christ has for us. We are indeed His prized possessions - His sought-out jewels – the living stones who make up the tabernacle. We have done absolutely nothing to merit His love. He saw in us what only His love could see. He saw treasures in the midst of corruption, sin, and depravity. He purchased as precious what many considered worthless. He saw beyond our state with a vision of what only Grace could produce! When we finally realize how valuable we are in God’s eyes, we can being to really live the lives that God has in store for us. And when we do that, God will be glorified!!!

Thanks to Pastor Holly for contributing such wonderful, uplifting work.