Loved by God

Since you are precious and honoured in my sight ... Isaiah 43:4 (NIV)

I enjoy watching sport on television and once heard a swimmer being interviewed. He said that though he spent a lot of time training, it was important to him to maintain his relationship with friends and family, because he wouldn't be swimming forever. I was pleased he realised this because so often it seems that all the athletes know is training/competing, training/competing and this becomes their whole life. When injury or circumstances prevent them from competing they are completely devastated because the source of their satisfaction and fulfilment is cut off.

Other examples of this is when a person, who finds their source of satisfaction and fulfilment in their job is made redundant. Or a person, who is totally dependent on their spouse finds themselves widowed. They are devastated.

As Christians we may feel shaken but we never need to feel devastated because of redundancy, injury or other crises. The reason is that our source of our satisfaction and fulfilment is in the Lord and not in people or circumstances.

If we were to become totally paralysed and never able to do another thing for the Kingdom of God, we would still be precious to Him. We are valued and loved by the Lord for who we are, not what we do.

Let's see ourselves from God's perspective, and know that we are precious and honoured in his sight. We are his beloved children. Accepting this truth, will enable us to seek our satisfaction and fulfilment in him. —Susan Barnes