July 17, 2023
Melissa Valerio
I read an article last week about an Alaska performing arts center that went to great lengths to keep their technical theater manager. The manager, from Sri Lanka, graduated from Midwestern State University in Texas. He then participated in a one-year training program in Alaska, where he became skilled in the technical theater management arena. Once his training was complete and the theater wanted to hire him full time, the Federal Government blocked his hiring to permanent status. As a result, the performing arts center has filed an immigration lawsuit against federal officials. The director of the fine arts camp stated the court filing “was unusual but normal. If we have someone who we think is really valuable, we’re going to do what we can to keep them working for us.”
Wow! This manager is so valuable to that camp that they are taking legal action against the Federal Government to keep him on board. Who does that?? People who love you and would do anything to keep you with them. Much like God! God wants us because we are His holy people. Deuteronomy 7:6 tell us what God thinks of us: “because you are a holy people to the Lord your God. The Lord your God chose you to be His people, His treasured possession from all the nations on the face of the earth.” (ISV) God wants us because we are His treasured possession. We belong to Him. We are “holy” because we belong to Him, not because of anything we do or have done in the past. Belonging to Him is what makes us holy. Belonging to Him is what makes us valuable. He chose us to treasure us and display His love and mercy to us. How far will God go to keep us, His holy treasured possession? All the way to the cross, all the way into 2023, and all the way into your heart. Now isn’t that something worth celebrating?
Prayer: God in Heaven, what is man that You take thought of him, and the son of man that You care for him? None of us deserve Your love or mercy, yet You still choose to lavish it upon us. Thank You for making us Your very own, and for the great lengths You went to bring us back to You. To You be the honor and glory forever. In Your precious Son’s name, Amen.
Action: Read Matthew 6:25-30. These verses remind us that since we are so valuable to God, He knows every need we have. He is fully capable of supplying all we need in this life. If He cares even for the birds of the sky, then surely, He will care for His treasured possession, right? Dare to believe that today.