Monday, February 2, 2009
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Now, I had never been to a quilt auction before. And I probably never would have been to one except for the fact that I had been invited to speak at an outreach at a Mennonite Relief Sale, where thousands come to bid on items made by Mennonite and Amish craftspeople. All the funds go toward worldwide relief efforts. It was amazing to hear the spiraling bids shouted out for some exquisitely designed quilts. While I was there, one went for $2,000. Last year, they told me that one quilt had gone for $4,000. They even sold two handmade dolls for almost $1,000. I was there long enough to see what gave great value to an auction item. Those dolls, for example, were made by a Ugandan refugee. The quilt that went for $4,000 was made laboriously by a severely handicapped woman, and it was the last one she made before she died. When we were told who made it - when we were told the effort they went to make it - it was suddenly worth a whole lot more.
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "The Bid For You."
Something takes on great value when it's a handmade original. That is why you're worth so much. Something takes on great value when the creator sacrificed a lot for it. That's why you're worth so much.
It may be that you don't feel like you're worth much; not after the things you've been called, the way you've been treated, the abuse, the abandonment, the rejection you've experienced. But none of that has anything to do with how much you're worth. Your value is based on Who made you and how much your Creator sacrificed for you. No one on earth gave you your worth and no one on earth can take it away!The Bible clearly says that you are "God's workmanship" (Ephesians 2:10), His handmade, masterpiece creation. You are a divine original! Let's settle once and for all how much you're worth to the One who made you. 1 John 4:9-10, our word for today from the Word of God say this: "This is how God showed His love among us: He sent His one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins."
God thought you were worth the life of His one and only Son! At the auction I attended, people expressed how much they valued what was available by how much they were willing to spend on it. There is no question Who has made the highest bid for you by far. At the cross, Jesus offered His life as the price to bring you back to God, which may be why you've questioned your value, why you've felt like you're not worth much. You're away from the One who made you, you're away from the God who gave you your worth! You've run the life that He was supposed to run, and your sin has put a wall between you and Him. But it doesn't have to stay that way - not after the bid Jesus made for you at the cross. Your sin-penalty has been paid. That wall can come down this very day!
If you've never begun your personal relationship with the One who loves you most, this could be the day that you finally experience the love you've been looking for your whole life. Would you tell Jesus right now that you're ready to turn from running your own life; that you're committing yourself completely to Him?
You could stop right where you are and say, "Jesus, I've been running my own life. I know that's wrong. I know there's a death penalty for that, but I resign from running my life as of today. I believe you died on the cross to pay for every wrong thing I've ever done. I believe you walked out of your grave under your own power so you could give me eternal life like You have. Today I want to begin my relationship with You. Today I'm Yours."
Our website has been a help to a lot of people at a point where they knew there was something missing. And that something missing was someone; it was Jesus. I want to urge you to go there today as soon as you can. It's YoursForLife.net. Or you can call for our booklet Yours For Life toll free at 877-741-1200.
You're paid for with the life of God's one and only Son. You are very precious to Him. Now, isn't it time you belong to Him?