Experiencing God's Presence #179

Experiencing God's Presence #179

God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.

Romans 5:8

The more we sacrifice for something, the more valuable it is to us. The same goes with relationships: the more we invest in a person, the more treasured that person becomes. Jesus made it clear that our heart will follow our treasure, and the heart-treasure connection seems to flow the other way too. Our treasures follow our affections. We give ourselves to whatever and whomever we love.

This is God’s heart too. His most priceless offering flowed in the direction of His love. He gave Jesus because His love compelled Him to rescue us. We know we are valuable simply from the fact that God created us—He only creates things of value—and from the fact that He created us in His image, which makes us uniquely valuable among creation. But if we ever wonder just how valuable we are, all we have to do is look at the offering made on our behalf. The beloved Son was brutally slaughtered as the price of our rescue. That’s a major statement on what God treasures.

If God values our relationship with Him that much, then neglecting that relationship or being casual about it is a shocking waste. If we aren’t pursuing a deeper relationship with Him from the very core of our being, we are disappointing the heart of God. That statement is not meant to induce guilt and shame; it’s an encouragement to boldly chase what has been offered. If God has poured so much into this relationship, we never need to fear making too much of it or overstepping our privileges in it. Our royal position and privileges as the King’s children were bought at an enormous price. Underestimating them would be underestimating His desire for closeness. Seeking to experience them honors His heart.

Lord, I want our relationship to live up to Your desires fully—to be worth the price You paid. I don’t want to miss anything You’ve planned for us. Please draw me closer into You.