Of all the people on earth, the LORD your God has chosen you to be his own special treasure.
The older I get, the more convinced I am that sleep is highly overrated. The old days of getting 7 or 8 uninterrupted hours of sleep are long gone. This week, I don’t even want to go to bed because I know it is going to be a long night. Cough, cough, cough. Bathroom run. Repeat. As a result, I’m tired and cranky. I don’t do sick well and I definitely don’t do no sleep well.
I was complaining to a friend about waking so often and she sent me a note with these verses, Matthew 14:25-27:
“Between 3 and 6:00 in the morning, Jesus came to them, walking on the water. When his followers saw him walking on the water, they were afraid. They said, It’s a ghost!’ and cried out in fear. But Jesus quickly spoke to them, ‘Have courage! It is I. Do not be afraid.’ “
Jesus didn’t waste those hours. He did some of his greatest work between 3 and 6 am. So last night, I started praying rather than tossing and turning. There are so many important issues in this world that affect the ones I love. As I prayed for my five grandgirlies, their sweet faces passed through my mind’s eye. I told God how much a loved them – what a special treasure they are to me.
“You are my treasure,” He replied back. “When I see you in a crowd, I say, ‘There is Gerry, my special treasure.'”
“Whoa. Really?”
And a warm feeling filled my heart as He said, “Yes, I love you very much.”
I don’t think we really understand how much God loves us. We know the basics and probably live the basics. But, if we really believed that we are God’s special treasure, would that change us? It’s a wonderful comfort and security to know that God thinks I’m special.
And He thinks the same about you.
We recently sang an anthem in church entitled, The Question. Part of the lyrics keep running through my mind:
You are My treasure, My precious one
You are the reason I sent my only son,
You are my chosen, My new creation,
My own beloved, the apple of my eye.
You are My temple, My dwelling place
You are a vessel for My amazing grace
You are My candle, light of the world,
You are My silver, My priceless pearl
O how I love you, I am your Shepherd,
You are my lamb.
I am your lamb.