1-25-2017

Good Morning All,

           Isaiah 53:3; “He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.”

     Most of us experience times when we feel inadequate; when we experienced a time of rejection.  It might have been the time when you finally squired up the courage to ask that special girl to dance only to have her laugh at you in front of her friends or how you were the only girl not to have a date to the big dance.  Perhaps you were cut from the team or didn’t get the part in the play you wanted.  Perhaps you were turned down for a job or had your idea completely shredded at the idea meeting.  It hurts.  Rejection is one of the most painful things we experience.  It causes us to question our personal value.  It causes us to feel the “we’re not worthy” syndrome.  It causes us to question whether we are worthy of the friendships we have, whether we are worthy the love of our family or spouses.  We question whether we are worthy of God’s love.  We have all been there; I know I have.

    For me, this is one of those times when God’s grace pops up to lift us up.  I always remember the first hymn I learned for our church Christmas program.  It took Mrs. Gange (my first Sunday School teacher), my mother and two older sisters to drill it into me but it stuck.  You really only need the chorus; “Therefore I’ll say again, God loves me dearly, God loves me dearly, loves even me.”  

    The thing that the devil keeps trying to force on us is that worthiness depends upon me.  The devil wants us to think that I must bring something of value before God and, having been rejected by mere mortals; surely God will reject you as well.  This is what the devil wants you to believe and it is a lie.

    Our worth to God is not dependent upon who we are or what we are or what we have.  Our worth is determined by the love that God has for us.  Our worth is determined by the One who creates us and makes us His.  Our worth is determined by the One who redeems us and calls us his own.  Our worth depends upon the everlasting love of God that moved Him to send his son to become man and to walk this earth and to suffer and die for us because he loves us.  That is what we are worth to God.  He does not reject us or despise us; God loves us dearly.  He shows us his love through our creation and our preservation; through our redemption and through the grace that he pours out upon us with an abundance beyond our understanding.  God loves me dearly, loves even me.

Father of all mercies, in you we have hope, in you we find love and acceptance.  You claim us as your children, you listen to our cry, you embrace us with the everlasting love of a perfect father.  Keep us mindful that our hope, our value is in your perfect love and not in our imperfect actions.  Keep us safe in your loving arms.  Be with those who suffer because of rejection and self-doubt.  Send your Spirit of comfort and healing.  In the precious name of Jesus we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret