God, You gave all that You had to save me.
Help me to know and understand fully
just how precious I am to You.
Series Focus: “Thy Kingdom Come”
Many years ago, my husband and I went through a very trying time. The “easy” thing, it seemed, would be to just walk away and start fresh – apart from each other. Our differences appeared to be irreconcilable. But we couldn’t just look at ourselves—our own experiences, disappointments, and desires. We had three children to also consider. Besides that, we had taken a vow: for better AND for worse.
Most people coast through the “better” times. It’s the “worse” times that present the challenge. And, everyone has varying degrees of “worse” times in their relationships. This post in no way is to provide any relationship advice or compare our relationship with yours. Please do not stay in an abusive situation. Seek help from qualified professionals. That being said, in this worst of worse times in our marriage, we both knew that to make it through together, we would both have to work on ourselves, individually, and on “us” together, while employing the very present help of God.
Relationships are not a one-way street. It takes two to make it work. And so, though we were separated for a time, we did both agree to go to counseling. We had so many years invested in each other. How could we just walk away? I remember one day during this time I was in deep, heartfelt worship to God at my piano bench. As I played, I started pouring my heart out to God about all these things that were wrong in our marriage. Then this truth and instruction rose up in my spirit as I sat raw, broken, and vulnerable before the Lord: “I will never turn my back on you. Do not turn your back on him.”
It’s true. God will never leave us nor forsake us. He is with us always, for better and for worse. When we mess up, make bad choices, or even try to run away, He searches out to rescue us. He will leave the ninety-nine to save us. He welcomes us prodigals with open arms forever as His children. He clothes us with His righteousness and restores our authority in His Kingdom. He guards us, protects us, provides for us, teaches us, leads us, revives us, reconciles us, heals us, restores us. Why? Because He loves us.
God loves us so much, desiring to be in a relationship and commune with us, that He gave His only Son so we could have eternal life with Him (John 3:16). Jesus laid down His life and His will so He would fulfill the Father’s will and become the sacrifice—the payment for sin—for mankind. Jesus had to die and ascend to Heaven so He could send the Holy Spirit to be our comfort, our teacher, our guide in the earth. All of this had to be accomplished to restore us back into a right-relationship with our God.
Jesus shared a parable in Matthew 13:45-46 that shows us just how valuable we are to God:
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.”
God is the merchant. We are the fine pearls. God gave all He had to “buy” us – pay the price for us – redeem us. We are treasures. Precious in His sight. Worth ALL He had to give. That is how valuable we are to Him. Even while we were stuck in sin, He still gave His very best to redeem us. God tells us this again and again throughout the Old and New Testaments:
“Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep my covenant, you shall be My treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is Mine; and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” ~ Exodus 19:5-6a
“For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for His treasured possession…” ~ Deuteronomy 7:6a
For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—but God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. ~ Romans 5:6-8
See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. ~ 1 John 3:1a
When God reminded me He was with me through that battle so many years ago, and instructed me to not turn my back on my husband, I realized then that, no matter the differences, mistakes, and choices both of us had made, God valued and treasured us equally. Christ didn’t only die for me. He died for my husband. Could I be Christ-like and die to myself to help my husband and our marriage live? Did I treasure and value my husband and our relationship enough to give all that I had to help us survive this fiery trial?
Here we are, months shy of 29 years of marriage, with plenty of bumps in the road. We have survived together. Please know that all marriages are not reconcilable. Both parties must be willing, work together, and seek the guidance and help of God. Reconciliation requires surrender, communication, and repentance to God first, and then to each other. It is followed by forgiveness and treasuring each other above ourselves—on both sides. We each had to see the other the way God sees us: precious, valuable, and worth the sacrifice. Again, the purpose of this post is not my marriage, but to emphasize just how valuable YOU are to the Kingdom of God.
God sees you as a priceless treasure. He has paid the very highest price for you—to bring you close to Him. To restore your relationship with Him forever. To reconcile you to Him. You are His masterpiece, created in His image. His prized possession for whom He gave His all. Forever precious in His sight.
Holding Fast to Hope,
Maryann
Scripture References: Matthew 13:45-46; Psalm 46:1; Hebrews 13:5; Matthew 18:12; Luke 15:11-32; John 3:16, 10:7-18, 14:15-31; Romans 5:5-11; Exodus 19:5-6; Deuteronomy 7:6; 1 John 3:1; Ephesians 2:10; Psalm 139; Genesis 1:27
