Precious to God

Welcome to today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread. Our reading, titled Precious to God, was written by Jasmine Goh. As a boy, Ming found his father harsh and distant. Even when Ming was ill and had to see the pediatrician, his father grumbled that it was troublesome. Once, he overheard a quarrel and learned his father had wanted him aborted.

The feeling of being an unwanted child followed him into his adult years. When Ming became a believer in Jesus, he found it difficult to relate to God as father, even though he knew him as Lord of his life. If, like Ming, we haven't felt loved by our earthly fathers, we may face similar doubts in our relationship with God, we may wonder, Am I a burden to him?

Does he care about me? But while our earthly fathers may have been silent and distant, God, our Heavenly Father, comes close and says, I love you. In Isaiah 43, God speaks as our Creator and as a Father. If you wonder whether He wants you to live under His care as part of His family, hear what He says to His people, Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth. If you wonder what you're worth to Him, hear His affirmation, You are precious and honored in my sight. God loves us so much that He sent Jesus to pay the penalty of sin so that we who believe in Him can be with Him forever.

Because of what He says and what He's done for us, we can have full confidence that He wants us and loves us. Today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading is from Isaiah chapter 43, verses 1 through 7. But now this is what the Lord says, He who created you Jacob, He who formed you Israel, do not fear, for I have redeemed you. I have summoned you by name, you are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you, and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you.

When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned, the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I give Egypt for your ransom, Cush and Seba in your stead. Since you are precious and honored in my sight, and because I love you, I will give people in exchange for you, nations in exchange for your life. Do not be afraid, for I am with you. I will bring your children from the east and gather you from the west.

I will say to the north, give them up, and to the south, do not hold them back. Bring my sons from afar, and my daughters from the ends of the earth, everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made. Let's pray. Father, thank you for Jesus and for the sacrifice He made on our behalf, making the way for us to be forgiven for our sin and to be reunited with you. We want to live each day as your children, precious and honored in your sight. It's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Thank you for listening. My name is Rachelle Traube, and today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread Ministries.