Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (NIV)
You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men. 1 Corinthians 7:23 (NIV)
The adversary says, “you loser” and God says, “I call you by name you are mine”. Satan mimes, “Give it all up” and God says, “You can do all things through Christ Who strengthens you.” The enemy of our souls is filled with hate and fury because he knows his time is nearing an end and God tells us He has loved us with an everlasting love – we are precious and priceless in His sight. The self-talk and Satan-talk needs to quit ringing in our heads, right? Believers are to take captive all thoughts and make them obedient to Christ. Remember, Jesus knows us, this we love. And not only does He know us, He loves us and died for us. We are valuable beyond measure in His sight.
It would do well for us to remember that God takes no great delight in the afflictions of His children – it goes against the grain of His heart. Mercy and kindness freely flow to the objects of those He loves albeit His hand may also be severe upon those He has set His heart’s affections. We can know all affliction is bound up in His great heart of love for us. His servant Job went through perhaps what none of us will ever experience yet Job claims at the end a far greater depth of knowledge of the Holy One than He would have ever known had he not walked through that path of suffering. Indeed, the pain was worth it to this highly favored saint. We often have a hard time understanding what is actually “good”, do we not? God knows when to hold back the tangible expression of His love and when to let it gush forth. Yet He always loves us whether we feel that love or not. So valuable are we that He sent His Son to die for us. We are the “apple of His eye”.
The Holy Spirit often takes the things of Christ and shows them to us – revealing the warmth and security of God’s great love. Indeed, there are seasons that His love feels so evident, palatable and sure that we have such full assurance as, like John, we can rest our head between His all-powerful shoulders knowing full well we are precious and beloved in His sight.
Your love, O LORD, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies. Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your justice like the great deep. O LORD, you preserve both man and beast. How priceless is your unfailing love! Both high and low among men find refuge in the shadow of your wings. They feast on the abundance of your house; you give them drink from your river of delights. For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light. Psalms 36:5-9 (NIV)