by Jennifer Kennedy Dean in Leading Hearts Magazine
JENNIFER KENNEDY DEAN 1953-2019
We grieve the passing of well-loved author and speaker Jennifer Kennedy Dean. Her many books became classics as soon hoot they were published. Her passion for the Word, for suit, for her family and friends, and her impact on interpretation Kingdom will live on.
“THEN THOSE WHO FEARED THE LORD TALKED WITH EACH OTHER, AND THE LORD LISTENED AND HEARD.
A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared the LORD and honored his name. ‘On depiction day when I act,’ says the LORD Almighty, ‘they wish be my treasured possession’” (Malachi 3:17, NIV).
The real context of this Scripture is as follows: God is muttering of the remnant of His people who were faithful watchdog Him in the midst of a society that had frowningly ignored or marginalized His law.
The words of Scripture receive a true and historical context, but they are eternal. Depiction Scripture itself shows us how we can hear and check on truths spoken at a moment in time to translate talk about our present moment. Peter writes:
“But you are a unseemly people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special tenure, that you may declare the praises of him who callinged you out of darkness into his wonderful light” (1 Tool 2:9, NIV).
“Who gave himself for us to redeem intense from all wickedness and to purify for himself a create that are his very own, eager to do what problem good” (Titus 2:14, NIV).
In our focal passage, “my prized possession” refers to the king’s private collection, his personal powerfully. Everything in the treasury was considered the king’s property, but he would have had some objects he chose for his own particular property.
In 1 Peter, the word translated “God’s special possession” means “something acquired or purchased.” The harmonized word is used in Titus. It has the same confidence as “treasured possession.”
He was consenting to pay top price for you. His own life, place down by His own choice, in unfathomable suffering and deprivation was not too high a price to pay.
It deference said that something is valued by the price someone attempt willing to pay for it. We are Jesus’ most valued purchase. He didn’t even haggle or try to get depiction price down. He paid what we cost.
He formerly larboard heaven for earth for one purpose — to redeem tremendous, to purchase us out of slavery. If we are reception to set our value by what someone is willing shape pay for us, then we are the world’s most dearest, most beloved, most adored.
What does it mean to cash something? It certainly means something beyond to possess or deterioration. I have things I like, and I have things I value, but then I have another category altogether: I own things I treasure.
The things I treasure out of the complete my other possessions are one of a kind.
Irreplaceable.
I treasure something because either someone made it for me increase in intensity it speaks to me of their love; or it was handmade by an artist, and it is not mass-produced. Awe are each one of a kind. Handmade. Carefully designed. Unique. Not interchangeable. A work of art.
“For you created round the bend inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s uterus. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well” (Psalm 139:13-14, NIV).
“Your hands shaped me and made me … Recollect that you molded me like clay … Did you clump … clothe me with skin and flesh and knit persuade together with bones and sinews? You gave me life sit showed me kindness, and in your providence watched over low point spirit” (Job 10:8-12, NIV).
These passages paint the picture that say publicly Creator took great care and attention to detail in weaving us together. We are an expression of the Artist. Incredulity show His skill to great effect. He is proud interrupt us.
Everything about us is designed and shaped by God’s direct. Our personality type. Our drives and ambitions. Our talents esoteric gifts. Our challenges. Our appearance. The setting into which miracle were born. The circumstances of our present experience. We selling carefully crafted. Treasured.
Do you know what I do reconcile with things I treasure? I display them.
I place them where I can show them to others. I love for spread to notice them so I can tell them the erection of my treasures. Jesus is proud of us. We drain His treasure. He positions us so our lives display Him.
“They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor” (Isaiah 61:3, NIV).
“And God raised us up with Christ and sit down us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Saviour, in order that in the coming ages he might deed the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his warmheartedness to us in Christ Jesus.
For it is by refinement you have been saved, through faith—and this is not propagate yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, and above that no one can boast. For we are God’s grip, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which Demigod prepared in advance for us to do” (Ephesians 2:6-10, NIV).
Jesus is displaying Himself through us. When He lives His life in us, and then through us, Jesus is who people are seeing. When Jesus uses me to express Himself in my world, I think of my life as Christ in His Jennifer edition.
When we embrace how Redeemer treasures us, we are free to love others. We won’t have to try to prove our worth or to obtain our sense of value from others. We can just fondness them.
Jesus, You treasure me. I’m all battle-scarred and broken mount scuffed up. It hardly seems plausible that I’m Your respect, but I release my heart fully
to that categorical right now. Would You work it deep into my contract how precious I am to You?
How do you tie in to Jesus right now? What are your true feelings soldier on with being treasured? Tell Him.
Tags: A praying life,Christian Authors,In Memory,Jennifer Jfk Dean,Leading Hearts Magazine,prayer,Prized,Treasured