Special Words...

My wife spoke her last full sentence to me about two or so years ago.  It was a simple three-word phrase that has many times over, given me the strength to go on when it seemed like I had no more to give.  As I was helping her with a meal one day, she suddenly looked at me with a clear focus and declared “I LOVE YOU!” 

As you might imagine, I was overtken with emotion as my heart soared toward the one I have loved just about all of my life!  And you know… that simple comment made me feel quite special!  With this attack on my wife’s health, I have had a few who questioned my allegiance to her, they’ve challenged my firm commitment to her in this the roughest patch of her life and worst of all… they doubted my love for her.  But anytime I have been faced with such persecution, I always return to those three, heartfelt words that we have spoken to each other on a daily basis throughout our 42-year marriage.

That last full statement that she made to me is the only thing that I need (besides God’s sustaining Word, His love and His grace), to do every and any-thing that I am required to accomplish in her daily care… and let’s face it… some of it is not what one would ever expect that they would need to do within the life of their spouse.  When push-comes-to-shove, what other people think or say about me in my relationship with Piper doesn’t really hold any value to me.  The only thing that really matters is what SHE thinks and knows about me!  In her eyes, I’m pretty special!

And did you know that this is exactly the way Papa God feels toward YOU?  James 1:18 tells us that: “He wanted us to be his own special people, and so he sent the true message to give us new birth.” (CEV)  Now that’s what I would call some good news… wouldn’t you?  The Good News Bible says “that we should have first place among all his creatures.”  But wait… it gets even better!  The King James version explains it a little deeper by calling us “a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.”

Most of the commentaries that I have, and I have thirty-three on my computer Bible study program alone, agree that James is telling us that we are a type of THE first fruit which is Jesus!  This gets better and better the more we look at it!  According to this verse we are so special in God’s eyes that when He sees us, it is as though He is looking at Jesus! 

So… lets get this straight… If all it takes for me in order to have the ability to push on when I am dog-tired and/or fighting discouragement… is to remember Piper’s last full sentence of how she thinks about me… THEN just think what you and I should be able to do – in the midst of ANY situation, no matter how weak we may feel, or how bad the situation is – when we remember how Papa God thinks about us!

Again, according to this verse, when He looks at you and me, He sees the wisdom, the strength, the love and the grace of His Son working in and through us!  Like us cool guys used to say in the ‘70’s… “Wow!  Cool man!”

So, if that doesn’t spike your coffee this morning, I don’t know what will!  YOU ARE SPECIAL TO GOD!  Take a moment and recall that truth the next time the kids are being a bit squirrely, or you have to go in and talk to your boss at work, or when someone says something terrible about you… suddenly all those things are not going to seem so important to the way you respond… the important thing… above everything else… is that YOU ARE SPECIAL TO GOD!

Now, this important position that we have be given does come with some responsibility though… but we’ll talk a little about that part of the package next time!  Until then, have a great new week, and as you do, keep asking yourself… “How am I expecting the truth that I AM SPECIAL TO GOD to influence my life today?”