God's Special Possession!

"But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, GOD'S SPECIAL POSSESSION, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light." - 1 Peter 2:9

Many years ago, my father went on a business trip to San Diego, California.  It was the week before my birthday.  He came home on June 29, 1986, which happened to be my 13th birthday.  My dad worked for State Farm Insurance, but he also owned a small business, "Batter Up Sports Cards."  One of my favorite memories of my dad was buying boxes of baseball cards and opening them up together.  I also loved going to old collector's stores and buying cards and comic books with my dad. However, on June 29, 1986, my dad had something special for me.  It was a box full of old cards.  I remember getting several cool cards: Ted Williams, Duke Snyder, Jackie Robinson, and Roberto Clemente.  The card that was really special was the Sandy Koufax card from his rookie season with the Brooklyn Dodgers.  I've held on to many of those baseball cards my dad and I collected over the years.  They mean a lot to me.  My dad died of a massive heart-attack on May 29, 1989.  Several months earlier, we watched the 1988 World Series together when our Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Oakland A's.  We had some special moments together over the , and, yes, our love for baseball was deep.  As I approach "Father's Day" this Sunday, June 21st, I can't help but think about my dad.  And as I approach my 47th birthday, I can't help to think about my one of my SPECIAL POSSESSIONS on this earth: the Sandy Koufax card my dad gave me.

My dad was a great guy.  I never doubted my dad's love for me and my brothers and my mom.  We all knew that he would do everything he could do to provide for us and to take care of us.  The most important memory I have of my dad was that he loved God.  He loved to read and study his Bible.  He prayed.  He took us to church.  It was my dad who showed me the love of God before anyone else did, and for that, I am grateful.  My dad always made me feel like I was his SPECIAL POSSESSION.  Maybe that is why that Sandy Koufax baseball card is one of my SPECIAL POSSESSIONS today.  And I believe that is why I love this passage of Scripture in 1 Peter 2:9.  God's love is greater than any love we could ever receive, greater than any love we could ever imagine!  As John tells us in 1 John 4:8 and 16, "God is love."  When I repented of my sin and trusted in Jesus as my Lord and Savior, I became a child of God.  As Peter would say, I became a part of God's "chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation."  I became "GOD'S SPECIAL POSSESSION!"  God called me out of my sin, out of the darkness and into His wonderful light!  And now, I have the opportunity and the responsibility to declare His praises to the world!

There are many days in this life when I don't feel special.  There are many days in this life when I feel worthless.  And I am not here to blame anyone or anything.  Many times my feelings in this life are directly tied to my own sinful actions.  However, as a child of God, nothing and no one can ever change the truth of God's Word.  I belong to God!  I am GOD'S SPECIAL POSSESSION!  I do believer that feelings are important and feelings are real, but I believe truth is what truly matters.  I don't want to move forward in this life based on how I feel; I want to move forward in this life based on Who I know and what I know.  I know God is my Father, and I know His love for me is immeasurable and everlasting and unconditional, and it is enough!  I am so thankful that my Heavenly Father gave me an earthly father who showed me love, who showed me that I was special.  I don't know who will read this, and I don't know what your journey has been like up to this point.  I don't know if you had an earthly father who showed you the love of God or not.  But I do know this, God's Word is available to you right now.  God's love for you is real and it is available right now.  God is your Heavenly Father, and His love is unmatched!  You can know right now that you are GOD'S SPECIAL POSSESSION!  All you have to do is call out to Him.  He will meet you where you are.  He will speak to you.  He will love you with an immeasurable, everlasting, and unconditional love.  And it will be enough!

And I know it's a little early, but "Happy Father's Day" to all the dads out there!  May you not only know that as a child of God you are his SPECIAL POSSESSION, but may you also show your family that they, too, are GOD'S SPECIAL POSSESSIONS!

Quick to Listen, Slow to Speak, Slow to Become Angry

Sometimes the medicine I desperately need is the medicine I don't like to take.  I remember when I was a kid, my mom took me to the doctor.  I was told I had a severe throat infection.  I did not want a shot, and when the doctor told me I was not getting one, I was excited.  He wrote something down on a piece of paper and handed it to my mom.  We went to the local drug store, and I was given a cough syrup to take.  No big deal, right?  It was a pretty red color, and I was thinking maybe it would be a strawberry flavor.  WRONG!  That stuff was nasty!  I tried to tell my mom that I would get better on my own because I did not want to swallow that stuff again!  However, it was the medicine I needed even though I didn't like it, and I did get better quickly.

I am reminded by God's Word that I am a sinner in need of a Savior.  Romans 3:23 reminds us all that we are sinners.  Our sinful nature is one that rebels against God.  I don't like to use the term, but in our sinful state we are "enemies" with God.  That is not how He created us.  He created us to be in intimate relationship with Him and even with one another.  Sin separates.  Sin devastates.  Right now, we are seeing much division and chaos in our country and in our world.  I don't know about you, but I sure do hear a lot of noise.  At times, sadly, that noise is coming from me.  Let's be honest, I have more than a throat infection; I have a sin infection.  As a sinner, the medicine that I desperately need is Jesus!  Seeing my sinful condition is not easy; it is not fun at all.  Turning from it is even more difficult.  Why?  Repentance first involves recognizing our sin and taking ownership of it.  Again, I don't know about you, but I don't like doing that.  I like thinking of myself better than that; surely, I am not the one who needs help; surely, I am not the one who is wrong; surely, I am not the one who needs a Savior.  Repentance also involves turning away from sin and turning away from self; repentance involves humility.  Again, in my sinful state, I don't like humility.  In my sinful state, I only want what I want when I want it where I want it how I want it.  Repentance involves dying to self.  That is hard.  However, I know that is what I need.  I need a Savior; I need Jesus.  I know that God loves me; I know that God created me to be in right relationship with Him and in right relationship with others.  

As I have grown and as I am growing in my faith, which is a gift from God, I now understand that I still need good medicine to make it in this life.  James 1:19-21 is the good medicine I need today.  With all that is going on in our country today with racism, violence, and hatred, I need God's Word.  James tells us this: "My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be QUICK TO LISTEN, SLOW TO SPEAK, and SLOW TO BECOME ANGRY, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.  Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you."  Oh Lord, this is the medicine I need, even though in my sinful state I don't like to take it.  Lord, help me swallow this good medicine.  Lord, help me be attentive and listen more and better.  Lord, help me to control my tongue and only speak words that build up rather than tear down.  Lord, forgive me when I give myself to anger, not righteous anger that comes from you, but human anger that is selfish.  Lord, help me to value and to practice repentance daily.  Help me turn away from the evil that is so prevalent today.  Lord, give me a humble heart to embrace the Word you have given me so that I can be a vessel of the righteousness You desire.  Oh Lord, I want to be QUICK TO LISTEN, SLOW TO SPEAK, and SLOW TO BECOME ANGRY, and I want this for Your glory and for Your honor.  Amen.