Liked and Loved by God

Thanks for joining me for today's devotional from Our Daily Bread. Our reading today is titled, Liked and Loved by God, and it was written by Adam R. Holes. It feels like likes, you know, the little thumbs up on Facebook, have always been with us. But it turns out that this virtual symbol of affirmation has only been around since 2009. The like designer, Justin Rosenstein, said he wanted to help create a world in which people uplift each other rather than tear each other down.

But Rosenstein came to lament how his invention might have enabled users unhealthy addiction to social media. I think Rosenstein's creation speaks to our hardwired need for affirmation and connection. We want to know that others know us, notice us, and yes, like us. The like is fairly new, but our hunger to know and be known is as old as God's creation of man.

Still, the like button doesn't quite get the job done, does it? Thankfully, we serve a God whose love goes so much deeper than a digital nod. In Jeremiah 1 5, we witness his profoundly purposeful connection with a prophet whom he called to himself. Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you.

Before you were born, I set you apart. God knew the prophet even before conception and designed him for a life of meaning and mission. And he invites us, too, into a purposeful life as we come to know this Father who so intimately knows, loves, and likes us. The scripture reading for today from Our Daily Bread is from Jeremiah chapter 1 verses 1 through 10. The words of Jeremiah, son of Hilkiah, one of the priests at Anathoth in the territory of Benjamin. The word of the Lord came to him in the thirteenth year of the reign of Josiah, son of Ammon, king of Judah.

And through the reign of Jehoiakim, son of Josiah, king of Judah, down to the fifth month of the eleventh year of Zedekiah, son of Josiah, king of Judah, when the people of Jerusalem went into exile. The word of the Lord came to me, saying, Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you. Before you were born, I set you apart. I appointed you as a prophet to the nations. Alas, sovereign Lord, I said, I do not know how to speak.

I am too young. But the Lord said to me, Do not say, I am too young. You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you, declares the Lord. Then the Lord reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, I have put my words in your mouth.

See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant. Would you pray with me? Heavenly Father, please guide us to find comfort in your love and the purpose you have for our lives. May we recognize your intimate care as you mold us for the unique journey of each day that you have planned for us. Thank you, Lord. It's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Thanks for joining me today. I'm Stephen Tabor, and this encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread Ministries.