How much are you worth?

“How much are you worth?”
based on the book  ” Discover His character’  by Bill Bright
Can you imagine  the magnificent knowledge of God who  already knew you before you were born? Do you ever wonder when did you show up in his mind?
You might think it started some time in your life or it will start one day but the truth is that
God saw us already in eternity past as well as His sacrifice  planned for our salvation! He knew from the beginning of times that we would   ‘cost’   Him everything  and yet He never gave up with us.
” He chose us in Him  before  the creation of the world to be holy  and blameless in His  sight.  In love He predestined us to be adopted  as His sons through Jesus Christ”
There was never a moment  when God did not purpose in His love  to make the  ultimate  sacrifice for us.  You and I, who are not even worthy to call His name, are so loved that we were always on His mind.
Just before His betrayal, Jesus enjoyed  the Passover meal  with His disciples. They were about to experience  incredible  trauma when they saw  their Master  led away by soldiers, put on trial and crucified. The book of John explains  lots of  facts during  that Last Supper.
 ”Jesus knew that the time had come  for Him to leave  this world and go to the Father. Having loved His own  who were in the world, He loved them to the end.”
First Jesus had a meal of fellowship, then He washed  his disciples’ feet. We can learn something important from that.
When He approached Peter, this one  said;  “You shall never wash my feet! “  That was too intimidating to Peter.              But what did Jesus answer?
” If I do not wash you, you have no part with me.”
One  important thing comes to our mind, that  it doesn’t matter how long you  have been watching Jesus, or you have known about Him
” you have no part with him, if you don’t allow Him to be washed from your sin.   It’s  not about knowing about Jesus  but believing  in Him and being  ‘washed’  from all our guilt.  No fellowship with God  unless you are clean.   There is no way we could enter God’s holy place with sin.  Peter  didn’t understand  what  was  that washing  all about , Jesus said; ” What I am doing   now, you don’t  understand , but you will know after this.”   Eventually Peter  allowed himself  to be washed. Now we know  it was all referring to what Jesus did for us on the cross.  Only those who want to be washed by his blood, have forgiveness and are free from sin and can have fellowship with God.
What else happened at that time?
As`the Lord washed Peters’ feet, Peter proclaimed ;  ” I will lay down my life for you.”
Jesus responded: ” Will you really lay down  your life for Me? I tell you the truth, before the  rooster  crows, you will disown Me three times.”
That is exactly what Peter did. During Christ darkest  hours, Peter turned his back on his Lord. Did Jesus reject Peter because of his betrayal? As`the soldiers bound and dragged  Jesus through the crowd, Jesus caught Peter’s eye. The look of forgiveness in the Lord’s eyes made the difference. Peter was feeling broken deep in his heart but he knew from Jesus’ look that His Master  still loved him and was able to forgive him.
God’s everlasting love was  expressed at that time so much. Knowing that soon He would be betrayed and handed over to those who hated Him, He wasn’t focusing on Himself  nor showing any self pity.  Instead of  that He was telling His    discpiles about what great things they should expect in his promise.
” When everything is ready I will come and get you so that you will always be with Me where I am.”  Then, just before Him being handed over to the soldiers He prayed
” Father I desire  that they also whom you gave me, may be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory which you have given  me, for you loved me  before the foundation of the world.” John 17;24
What a great promise for those who trust Jesus! We know that His promise about everlasting life with Him is as real as He was real Himself. And if you think your life on earth is so hard and meaningless, you can trust Jesus’ words  as He is giving you hope about something better to come. That’s the whole reason he came to die for us. If  you believe that there is nothing after you die, then His death was  completely useless. But we read in the Bible that it was the highest price God payed for us.   If   He  was willing to give  for us  something the most precious to Him, we can imagine how much is  He concerned about us. At the same time we know that His justice is the most perfect and regardless of the person He will execute it.
The truth about it  is  deeply manifested  in what Jesus experienced on the cross;  Matthew 27;46
Crying out  “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
As he  took on all our sin upon Himself, He experienced  death as a sinner- when God is turning away from a sinful person, when your soul is crying for God but He ‘doesn’t hear, He is not there for you.    Jesus who was in a form of God himself  ( Philippians 2;6) coming in the likeness of men,  went through separation from God He came from.
That fact is considered  for the  deepest display of his love toward men!
If that great love of God is rejected by you, there is nothing else He can pay for you to ‘buy you out’ from your sin.
We`are reminded to call upon His name before is not to late so that we  don’t die as sinners but as children of God with the hope of new life.
If we are not interested in finding relationship with God in this life, He won’t be interested in having it with us  after we died.
Matthew 10;33 ” Whoever denies Me  before men, him I will also deny before my Father  who is in heaven.”