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!