Charles Stanley (April-26-2024) Daily Devotional: How God Sees Us.
We are loved and cherished by the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
1 Peter 2:9-10 - But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God's OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; for you once were NOT A PEOPLE, but now you are THE PEOPLE OF GOD; you had NOT RECEIVED MERCY, but now you have RECEIVED MERCY.
Have you ever wondered how God sees you? Perhaps interactions with others have shaped how you believe you’re viewed. But in His Word, God tells us exactly how loved and cherished we are. Today’s passage describes just four of the many ways He sees us:
1. A Chosen People. God chose you and me to be part of His kingdom and family because He wants and loves us.
2. A Royal Priesthood. As believers, we are children of God and, therefore, part of a royal family. In other words, we are “heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ” (Romans 8:17 - and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him).
3. A Holy Nation. The church, or body of Christ, is a group of people who are holy—which, as we learned a few days ago, means “set apart” for the purposes of God. Our lives are never meaningless, because living for the Lord is the greatest purpose one can have.
4. A People for God’s Own Possession. You and I are precious possessions of God; we belong to Him (Deuteronomy 14:2 - ``For you are a holy people to the LORD your God, and the LORD has chosen you to be a people for His own possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.; Titus 2:14 - who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds). He so values each of us that He sent His Son to die in our place.
Each of these descriptions shows how highly God values you. Make it a point to remember your real identity and to be mindful that you are cherished.
