Dt. 7:6-11
Titus 1:1-16
John 1:29-34
Ps. 37
Titus 1:1-16
John 1:29-34
Ps. 37
Dt. 7:6-11
6For you are a people holy to the LORD your God; the LORD your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on earth to be his people, his treasured possession. 7It was not because you were more numerous than any other people that the LORD set his heart on you and chose you—for you were the fewest of all peoples. 8It was because the LORD loved you and kept the oath that he swore to your ancestors, that the LORD has brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. 9Know therefore that the LORD your God is God, the faithful God who maintains covenant loyalty with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations, 10and who repays in their own person those who reject him. He does not delay but repays in their own person those who reject him. 11Therefore, observe diligently the commandment—the statutes and the ordinances—that I am commanding you today.
Lent is a good time to look at what is important to us. What “treasures” do we cling to? Perhaps it is financial security or a nice car or home. Maybe it is the good will of an employer. Sometimes it is health and happiness. Take a moment to think about and list what some of your treasures are. We often keep our treasures locked up tightly in a jewelry box--either real or metaphorical and maybe not as fancy as this one my husband made.
Lent is a good time to look at what is important to us. What “treasures” do we cling to? Perhaps it is financial security or a nice car or home. Maybe it is the good will of an employer. Sometimes it is health and happiness. Take a moment to think about and list what some of your treasures are. We often keep our treasures locked up tightly in a jewelry box--either real or metaphorical and maybe not as fancy as this one my husband made.
But what, we might ask as we begin Lent, is the real treasure of our life? According to the Deuteronomy reading, it is being chosen by God to be God’s Treasured Possession. I think that is pretty special.
Wm. Paul Young’s book, The Shack, portrays God in an unexpected way and a reoccurring comment by God is “I’m especially fond of him/her.” To the chagrin of Mack, God is even “especially fond” of those who wronged Mack. Because of that Love, God desires a true relationship and deep intimacy with each of us (even those we don't like).
Lent can be a time of self-denial and breast-beating, but as today’s reading reminds us, it is even more about being found by the God who chooses you and me as a “treasured possession” because God is “especially fond” of each of us. All other 'treasures' turn out to be nothing and our jewelry box is empty until we accept that we are God's treasure.
Lent can be a time of self-denial and breast-beating, but as today’s reading reminds us, it is even more about being found by the God who chooses you and me as a “treasured possession” because God is “especially fond” of each of us. All other 'treasures' turn out to be nothing and our jewelry box is empty until we accept that we are God's treasure.
For your journal: Take a little time to write down the treasures of your life. Why are these things important to you?
Find a small photo of yourself, glue it in your journal. Underneath, write “God is especially fond of (your name)”. Jot down or think about how it feels to hear those words.
