You Are Worth More

Did you know that a domestic cat has between 60,000 to 120,000 hairs per square inch?  Have you ever seen an elephant up close?  The hairs on these giants are thought to keep them cool, unlike nearly every other hairy mammal whose hairs keep them warm.  A camel can survive six months without water and bald eagles can fly up to 200 miles per hour.  If that isn’t amazing enough, starfish can regenerate new limbs to replace those that are lost.  By examining the many wonders found in God’s unique creation, we can be certain that one thing is true.  He cares about every aspect of this world, including you and me.  To Him, we are worth more than all of the gold found within the four corners of the earth.

Luke 12:7 (NIV) says, “Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.”  You may be thinking, great, I’m worth more than a bird.  Before you draw this conclusion, it’s interesting to note that sparrows are quite an intricate creation.  Sparrows have 400,000 photoreceptors per square millimeter on each retina, yet they are only 4 to 8 inches in length and typically weigh less than two ounces.  Just like these tiny little birds, God took great care in creating each and every living thing on earth.  But His most remarkable creation is you and me.

God didn’t just make us like He made the animals who roam the earth.  Instead, He made us in own His image.  God’s Word says, “So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God; he created them; male and female he created them” (Genesis 1:27 NIV).  We are set apart from our four-legged, sea-faring, and winged friends.  We are special in God’s sight.  Ephesians 2:10 (NIV) says, “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”  We were created to serve the Lord and share the Good News with a lost and dying world.  Men and women were created to be a reflection of God’s love.  That is our greatest purpose here on earth.

Man was not created to fight, to hate, or to destroy others.  Man was created to love his neighbor as himself.  Humans were also created to love God because He first loved us.  Ephesians 1:4 (NLT) states, “Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes.”  You and I are on this planet for one reason and one reason alone: to share the love of Jesus Christ to everyone we meet.  We are here to make a difference, to tell those who are broken in the depths of despair that there is hope through Jesus Christ.

You may be sitting there, thinking, how can I share about a love that I’ve never even known?  You may be the person who is drowning in the depths of despair.  If this is you, I want to encourage you today.  You are treasured in God’s eyes.  Jesus Christ loves you more than you could imagine.  He has always loved you and He will never stop loving you.  He knows how many hairs are on your head.  He knows everything about you.  And you know what?  He loves you anyway.  He thinks you are priceless.  That’s why He paid the ultimate sacrifice in giving His life for your sins.  To Him, you are more valuable than sparrows, or even the most precious metals on earth.  You were worth dying for.  Reach out to Jesus Christ today.  You will find hope in Christ!

In Christ’s Love,

Jennifer

Pray Continually

“God is great. God is good. Let us thank Him for our food...” As a child, I have fond memories of reciting this mealtime prayer with my Grandparents. I am so thankful that I had parents and grandparents who always prayed over our meals and parents who always prayed with me before I went to bed. Even to this day, my dad and I thank God for the delicious food that He provides and we pray together before we turn in for the evening. But as an adult, I have found that prayer is an even greater necessity than ever before.

Some days, prayer is the only thing that gets me through challenging circumstances or life’s tragic disappointments. Whether I am having an awesome day or a not-so-perfect day, I have come to realize that each day only gets better the more I pray. Because the more I talk to Jesus, the more my mind is focused on things above as opposed to things on this earth. The Bible says to set our sights on Heavenly things. When I pray, my mind is fixed on Jesus, our Lord and Savior. When I am not praying, my mind is scattered among the many tasks that must be completed each day. This is the reason why we need to not only pray before we sit down to eat, or before we go to bed at night, but throughout every minute of every day. I want to challenge you today to make it a daily priority to pray continually!

Paul gives sound advice when he writes to the church at Thessalonica. He writes, “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (I Thessalonians 5:16-18 NIV). Paul doesn’t say that we should pray once in a while. He doesn’t say we should pray when we get up or before we go to bed. He says that we should pray continually. Once again, he writes, “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful” (Colossians 4:2 NIV). Paul is encouraging us to pray throughout our day, without stopping.

If you’re like me, your mind is suddenly aflutter with all of the things you have to get done. You’re thinking, how in the world can I possibly pray continually if I have to go to work, make dinner, wash the dishes, do the laundry, take your son or daughter to soccer practice, visit someone in the hospital, make cookies for your child’s class party tomorrow, take the cat to the vet, and shop for groceries. Not to mention the dentist appointment you forgot to reschedule because of the conflict with your other appointment to have your tires balanced and rotated on your new car, compounded by the fact that you desperately needed a haircut over a month ago. Needless to say, life is hectic and schedules are inevitably going to be busy.

Nonetheless, we can still pray continually. While it is wonderful to have time to kneel at the altar at church and cry out to God, or to spend time alone with God at home, we can still talk to Him throughout our day. I often find myself praying while washing dishes, driving down the road, or taking a shower. That’s the beauty of prayer. There is no set way to pray. Jesus gives us the Lord’s Prayer as a guideline, but we can talk to Him just like we would talk to our best friend. You know why? Because Jesus Christ is the best friend you will ever have. He loves you with a love that is unchanging, unconditional, and everlasting. He wants to hear your voice, whether you are asking Him to intervene in a particular situation or if you are praising Him for the good things He has done in your life. He longs to hear from you.

I want to introduce you to a man named Epaphras. Paul vouched for Epaphras, saying that he was a hard worker. But the most important thing Paul said about this man is that he knew how to pray. He writes, “Epaphras, who is one of you and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends greetings. He is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured” (Colossians 4:12 NIV). Epaphras didn’t just pray. He wrestled in prayer. And he didn’t just do it whenever it struck his fancy. He did it always. Epaphras knew the value in praying continually and he was faithful in prayer, despite his busy work schedule and in spite of those who may have persecuted him for the time he spent in prayer. Why? Because he knew that prayer was the key to living a life in God’s perfect and divine will. Epaphras knew that the only way to be truly happy and content with his life was to be in tune with what God had called him to do.

What about you? Is there something in your life that is preventing you from praying continually? Perhaps you are facing a difficult time in your life with the loss of a loved one, a diagnosis of cancer in your family, or a son or daughter who has gone astray. I want to encourage you today. Jesus cares about you. Tell Him all of your cares. Pour out to Him all of your fears. Jesus told His disciples that they should always pray and never give up (Luke 18:1 NIV). He is telling you the same thing today. Do not give up. No matter what is going on in your life, there is hope in Christ. Take hold of Jesus’ hand and never let go. Talk to Him today, whether out loud or silently. Every day will seem brighter if you give your burdens to Jesus. So be sure to cast your worries aside, talk to Jesus daily, and stand amazed as He transforms your life! From sunrise to sunset, don’t let a minute slip by without praying continually!

In Christ’s Love,
Jennifer