Christian Reflection and Prayer

But now thus says the LORD, He who created you, O Jacob,
He who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by name, you are Mine." Isaiah 43:1

If it's difficult to set a value on human life, how much more
difficult is it to set a price on part of a human life? Well, not to
be put off by difficulty, American insurance companies have tried.

For example, one company figured the premiums for a young
woman who made a living judging perfumes. She was allowed to
insure her nose for $50,000. Jan Kubelik, the great violinist, had
the fingers of his left hand insured for $250,000, and Paderewski,
the great pianist, had his fingers underwritten for $10 million.

How much are you worth? I guess it depends on who gives the
answer. Ask the terrorist who is filled with hatred. He will gladly
tell you, "You are worth more to me dead than alive." He reasons,
if you die, all your friends and fellow citizens will quiver and quake
with fear. If you die, the media will focus on his cause and give it
free publicity. If you die, money from hidden sources will become
available for his organization. If you die, firebrands and ne'er-do-
wells will flock to his gang in search of glory. To the terrorist, you
are worth less than nothing.

How much are you worth? To the government, your value is a
series of formulas on a spreadsheet. To the politician, your value
is a vote to be tabulated. To your employer, your value is weighed
by what you give versus what you cost. To the advertiser, your
value is computed by your spending power. To the credit card
company, your value is how much debt you can incur without
disaster.

So, what are you worth? Hearing that question, most of us end
up saying, "not very much." That's because life has hurt us;
people have walked on us, and their words have injured us. It's
easy to feel neglected, unrecognized, under-appreciated and
un-applauded. Then, if we look in ourselves and see the sins
that are harbored in our hearts, we really can be depressed.

In contrast to all this negative input, we have the thoughts of
the Lord.

The Lord who formed and created us, who knows us better than
anyone else, assures us of His love which has been personified
in His Son, our Lord, Jesus Christ. Jesus is the physical proof
that our Lord doesn't love us only with words. No, He shows us
His love in the Person of His Son. Jesus was sent to bear our
sins and carry our sorrows. Because of the Savior's supreme
sacrifice, the Lord offers us the assurance we need not be afraid.
Indeed, we can be at peace for He has called us by name, and
through the Savior's work, we belong to Him.

So there, my friends, you should have your answer.

If you don't, take another look. On one side of the scale is
placed all the negatives and nastiness the world and Satan can
muster. On the other side of the scale is placed the rescue that
has been won for us by the Redeemer.

What are you worth?

Look to the Bethlehem manger, Calvary's cross, and the
Garden's empty tomb and you will see God's answer. It is an
answer which outweighs all others combined.

THE PRAYER:

Dear Lord, I give thanks You have the capacity to love the
unlovable and decided to rescue that which was worthless. Now
I ask that You will grant me the grace to live as the valuable,
blood-bought person You have made me through Jesus. It is in
His Name I pray. Amen.

(Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries
By Pastor Ken Klaus, Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour)

Jesus: “Let the little children come to me.”

Pastor: “Children stuck at the border? Build a bigger fence.”

Yep, that’s right – Texas megachurch pastor Robert Jeffress
recently told Fox News that the “Christian” way to respond
to immigrant children in distress is to build a stronger border
fence. You’ve heard the stories: tens of thousands of children
are currently stuck at the border after fleeing crime and
violence in their home countries. These children need our
compassion – not calls for a bigger fence.

This pastor has gone too far. Let’s make sure he knows that
Christians need to welcome immigrants and love our neighbors.

Pastor Jeffress has a history of making shameful statements
posing as religious truth. In January, he said that President
Obama was paving the way for the antichrist. He’s now on the
record saying that the “right thing to do” with children alone in
the desert is to lock them out.

We know better. Let’s make a strong statement against these
outrageous claims.

Tell Pastor Jeffress that it’s time for him to read Jesus’ words
in Matthew 25: “I was a stranger and you welcomed me.”

In faith,
Janelle, Tim, and the rest of the Sojourners team
https://secure3.convio.net/sojo/site/Advocacy;jsessionid=8B1ACF61702D7B34929ABBF9B1A81AB3.app325b?pagename=homepage&page=UserAction&id=867&autologin=true&AddInterest=1223

Scripture:

"All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself
through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation..."
-2 Corinthians 5:18
 
I remember at my wedding, because my parents were
divorced when I was three, this was the first time in my
life where both families - the Schullers and the Persleys
were all in one place. They were standing in the Crystal
Cathedral in front of the choir loft. My mom, my dad, my
stepmom, my stepdad, all my siblings, all my cousins
on both sides were in one section all standing together
with smiles on their faces, united because Hannah and
I were getting married.
 
At one point, I had to step out of the group to walk down
the stairs in front of them. When I turned back to look at
them together, I said, "Just wait a second. I want to see
this." They all laughed, right? And I started weeping. It
was a good weeping because I was so very moved to see
that, at least for a moment, there was reconciliation in
these two families, which for me is one family. Oh, what
a moving experience.
 
This is a good illustration of what happens between
humankind and God because of Jesus Christ. You are at
peace with your Father. You do not need to carry around
in your heart a sense of guilt or regret or to stand off from
God. God is now as close to you as your breath if you
have faith in what Jesus did for you. You are at peace
with God.
 
Prayer:

Dear Lord, no matter how relationships go in life, in you
I am reconciled. Help me to stay connected with others,
in love, as you have sacrificed so much to be close to me.
Amen.
 
Reflection: With whom do you need to reconcile?
How might God help you to make that effort?

(By Pastor Bobby Schuller)