DIVINE VALUATION!

Sparrows are created by God and are cared for by God in special ways. He feeds them and takes care of them, and none of them fall to the ground without His permission. He has absolute control over all that happens to all His creatures. But God has created man in His own image and has so much more concern for all human beings. He is much concerned about the body, soul and spirit of man. He knows the totality of the hairs on man’s head and knows how many of these hairs fall down and how many stays. God knows and cares for man with such great precision because He values man so much. As His creation, man is like a child to God and He is their Father who provides for them. His children who are born into His family through faith in Jesus Christ are His special children who are members of His family of born again people. As they are the result of the life of His only begotten Son, God gives greatest value to them more than any thing else. He knows how the enemy of their souls fights them and put all efforts to defeat them in their lives through emotional and physical threats. They are fought by the enemy especially in matters related to their faith. They are hated because of their faith and the stand they take on moral, ethical, social and above all spiritual issues. Often God’s children do not have any one to defend them in this world, but God will be their defender before other men. When they have to suffer for their faith and allegiance to God, He will protect them and keep them from all the snares of the enemy. When fear grips them because of the threats they face, God will be their shield and defender. This ought to encourage any embattled child of God on a daily basis.

Dear friend, are you facing the enemy in your daily life? Is the enemy using other human beings to fight you at the work place, neighbourhood, business, family circles and even in the spiritual realms? Are people creating false evidences against you to weaken your stand for God? Are there efforts to discredit you and devalue your ministries or services you render to others because of your faith and spiritual stand? Are they raising false witnesses against you? Is there an effort to trouble you physically and take away what ought to belong to you? Are others taking away your opportunities and do they stand on your way to progress? Your greatest comfort today is that your Lord knows all about it. Your enemy cannot touch you without the permission of your God. If He permits them to touch you, it is for your good and for strengthening your faith. But even if they try to terrorize you, your God will be with you. He will not allow even a hair from your head to fall down without His knowledge and express permission. If He allows it, there should be some spiritual goal behind it. Sometimes the enemy is sabre rattling to just make you afraid and quit. At other times, the enemy is trying his tactics out of frustration to do something against you for self satisfaction, knowing well that he cannot do any thing against you. But you need to simply trust in your God and hold on to your ground, and continue to serve Him even in difficult situations. The God of Daniel and Nehemiah who took away their fears and made them continue to serve Him and His cause even in most fearful and difficult circumstances will be with you. The God who performed great ministries through Samuel, David, Paul, Peter and John is the same God who is at your side and He will see you through all that He has planned for you. So dear friend, don’t be discouraged and loose hope because your Father will look after you. He will testify about you, and will give you to the strength to hold your ground and make progress even in the midst of fierce battle with the enemy. He is your Ebenezer and will lead you forward. He is your Jehovah-Jirah who will give the necessary strength every step of the way.

Psalms 27:5 – For in the day of trouble He will keep me safe in His dwelling; He will hide me in the shelter of His tabernacle and set me high upon a rock.

Thought for Today
The world is made to understand the value of God’s children through the various ways by which He looks after them in their struggles against the enemy.