Cherished

Oh beloved, how cherished you are in the heart of God.

In this world, we strive to perform, purchase, and placate to gain approval, love, and esteem.

But that is not the way of God.

God cherishes His beloved children.

God holds us dearly and always protects and cares for us when we need Him the most.

I don't think we will ever be able to truly understand God's love for us until we come face-to-face with Him.

Believing and receiving the truth - that we are beloved and cherished by God can be hard to believe and receive.

We compare how He loves us to how we love ourselves and each other - which is often filled with conditions and expectations.

But we can give it a go and try to learn and live up to His love for us.

We can forgive ourselves and others, knowing that God cherishes the broken.

We can care for ourselves as we would a treasured item and treat our bodies and minds as the miraculous gifts they are.

We can spend time with God, prioritize learning about Him, and immerse ourselves in His unconditional love.

We can treat others with care, knowing they are precious to God. Everyone is precious to Him.

Yes, even them.

Oh beloved, our world and all of us in it (or is it on it, I'm not sure) long to be cherished, handled with care, and loved.

Hear God speak these words to you today - I cherish you.

Listen to Him say it over and over and over and over until the tears begin to flow.

Ignore the voices that rise in an attempt to list out your faults and mistakes.

God doesn't care about any of that.

Ignore that nonsense and keep focusing on those words. You are no longer stuck in the mucky pit bound by lies.  

Jesus set you free from all that.

You ARE God's beloved, cherished child, and He sings over you today.

I cherish you.

Let those words stay close to you today. As you connect with family, friends, coworkers, and strangers, think of God speaking those words to them.

I cherish you.

I cherish you.

I cherish you.

Zephaniah 3:17

The Lord your God is in your midst, a warrior who saves.

He will rejoice over you with joy; He will be quiet in His love [making no mention of your past sins]; he will rejoice over you with shouts of joy.

Galatians 2:20

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

1 John 3:1

See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!