Daily Devotional: Tuesday, May 11

Speaker: Ben Sigman

Theme: I'm Overwhelmed

Weekend Music links on iTunes: Let the Praises Ring by Lincoln Brewster; God is With Us by Michael Olson; How Great is Our God/How Great Thou Art by Chris Tomlin; You'll Come by Hillsong.

Read:  I Peter 1:18-21

Think:  My wife and I are currently engaged in an interesting exchange with the county tax assessor’s office.  As you may know, local real estate taxes are supposed to be ‘ad valorum’ taxes, charged ‘according to the value’ of the assessed parcel.  It seems that the tax assessor has a different opinion about the value of our house than we do.  Not surprisingly, their value would have us paying more in taxes.  So, we are going through an appeal process to determine the worth of the property.  

What is the worth of a thing?  I gather that economists continue to argue about this, and have constructed some pretty elaborate theories about it.  However, there’s a simple definition that explains it well enough for me.  Something is worth what someone will pay for it.  If you want to sell your house or your car, you can ask whatever price you want, but its real worth is revealed by what someone is willing to pay.

This week, Pastor Ben gave us several ideas for dealing with an overwhelming, over-crowded life.  One was simply this: Recognize your worth.  So, what is your worth?  It’s what Someone was willing to pay.  As Peter writes, you were not purchased with silver or gold, but with the ‘precious blood of Christ’.  The physical pain of the cross, the agony of feeling forsaken by God the Father, and the very experience of death itself – you are worth all this to Jesus. 

Your worth is not determined by what you accumulate, or what you do, or even by the person you become.  Your worth is determined God’s boundless love.  When you’re down on yourself for not getting everything done, or you somehow feel that you don’t measure up, consider God’s perspective.  You are more precious to Him than you can fully comprehend. 

Do:  Look for ‘valuable’ stuff when you’re out and about today – a flashy car, a huge house, a 747 or Microsoft.  When you see any of these things, remind yourself that – to God – you are worth far, far more than any of these trinkets.

Pray:  Lord, after what I’ve done, how can you think that I’m so valuable?  It can only be because of who you are.  As the world tries to put me down, help me see myself through your eyes, and understand my worth to you.  Amen.

The eDevotional is written each week by a team of volunteers from Timberlake Church.

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