“For the Lord your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.” Zep 3:17
I recently dug some prized possessions from a box in the back of our closest. In this box was a yellow shirt my stepdad wore to work in the yard, a keepsake box with his picture and Bible in it and most importantly the key to his truck that he left me when he passed away. Unfortunately I could not keep up with the cost of the truck and had to sale it. However, I always held on to that key. All these possessions brought me peace after his passing. For a while I kept them close looking at them daily and sometimes several times a day. I cried over them and even slept with his shirt under my pillow on many occasions. As time went on I looked at them less frequently and soon didn’t feel the need to run the key to his truck through my fingers as often. This is until recently. Years after his death, I found myself thinking of his memory once again and I immediately ran to the closet pulled out the box and admired all the memories found in it. Once again I ran my fingers over the key remembering the first time I learned to drive with Mike as my teacher. I can’t forget the time he forgave me after knocking the side view mirror off the truck while trying to park. I still have every detail in my memory of the time he held out both arms, handed me a knife and told me to cut him. “If you are going to cut yourself I’d rather you just cut me.” I didn’t! I couldn’t hurt him. Mike loved me so much and he helped me see how much I should love myself.
Then it hit me… I place so much value in these items yet at one time I shoved these valued items in a box and placed them in the back of my closet. God is different. He will never have to go looking for you in the back of His closet. He knows exactly where you are and the value he has placed on you will never change. Jesus loves you so much. He forgives you when you mess up. He took the shame of your sin when He painfully died on the cross! He has so much in store for you. You are His and He will never push you toward the back of His closet. You are on His mind all the time. He loves you. You are His prized possession!
Shine4Him 