Treasured Possession
Deuteronomy 7:1–6 When the LORD your God brings you into the land you are entering to possess and drives out before you many nations—the Hittites, Girgashites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites, seven nations larger and stronger than you — and when the LORD your God has delivered them over to you and you have defeated them, then you must destroy them totally. Make no treaty with them, and show them no mercy. Do not intermarry with them. Do not give your daughters to their sons or take their daughters for your sons, for they will turn your sons away from following me to serve other gods, and the LORD’s anger will burn against you and will quickly destroy you. This is what you are to do to them: Break down their altars, smash their sacred stones, cut down their Asherah poles and burn their idols in the fire. For you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession.
What things do you treasure? I have treasured memories of life with my parents, my siblings, my wife, children and grandchildren. I place a very high value on my family. I treasure many of the experiences I have been able to have in my life, especially the travels I have done and the friends I have made. One of the “things” that I treasure is a pectoral cross that belonged to my father. It is a James Avery creation that my siblings and I gave it to him on the 25th anniversary of his ordination into the ministry. When he went to be with Jesus over 30 years ago now, I was given that cross and wore it many times as I have led worship services and preached the Good News of Jesus.
The passage above was read in our worship service this past Sunday. I love that last verse, tell the people of Israel that they were God’s chosen ones, His treasured possession. Those who have been brought to faith in Jesus have the assurance that you also are God’s chosen ones, part of the New Israel.
John 15:16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last.
If you have been chosen by God, you are also His treasured possession. God places a high value on you and you hold a special place in His heart. Those who are God’s treasured possession know that God valued you enough to let His Son die in your place, taking your punishment and earning your forgiveness.
The thing is, that payment was for you, but it was not for you alone. Jesus made that payment for the sins of the world. And He wants everyone to receive the benefit of what He did by putting their trust in Him. He wants all people to live with Him forever as His treasured possession. All they have to do is take Him and His word
The cross reminds me that I am God’s treasured possession.