Message Magazine’s Online Devotional for Sabbath, September 3, 2016
We are focusing on getting to know God from the perspective of John the beloved.
Today’s Scripture Focus: “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out” (John 6:37).
Do you realize that you are a gift from God? Unfortunately, so many of us have been denied, disrespected, rejected, and cast aside as dead, that we don’t recognize our value.
Something’s value is often determined by how much it would cost to purchase or replace it. I do realize that there is a lot of wiggle room in my statement here, but let’s keep this real simple. Here’s an example. “Starry Night” by the late Dutch painter, Vincent van Gogh, is valued at well more than one hundred millions of dollars ($100,000,000). What if the owner’s home or gallery’s roof sprung a leak and torrential rains poured in and wet up the painting? How much would it take to restore “Starry Night” to its former glory or value? That was obviously a rhetorical question.
Enduring Value
Jesus gave His life to redeem (or purchase) you from your evil slave master, Satan. What is the worth of the Son of God’s life? What is the value of Him forever blending His eternal nature with humanity? Can we estimate the value of the beating, disrespect, and death He endured for us? How about the value of Him taking that adopted human form to heaven? What is the value of Him ministering on our behalf so we can be saved by faith in Him? That was obviously a rhetorical question, too.
Our theme text underscores the fact that it is the Father’s will that we all be drawn to Jesus to experience eternal life! And, it gets better. Every single person who heeds the invitation, is a gift from God the Father to God the Son.
Did you get that? You are a gift from the Father to Jesus Christ, if you choose to be. Jesus paid a hefty price, which we will scarcely ever understand so that you could be free from your attachments and addiction to sin and death down here. He paid a hefty price for you to live with Him and all the millions who will have chosen to love Him, for eternity.
Do you realize that you are a gift from God? Considering the price Jesus paid for you, what is your value? That was obviously a rhetorical question.
