"Valuable"

So…

One of the blessing and curses of moving is having to decide what is valuable and what isn’t.

With a house full of stuff from forty years of living, it is possible we have collected a few things that have some value to us!

But now we are having to measure how much value.

That dish we got as a wedding present from a dear friend in 1983 that we have never ever used - what exactly is its value?

Does it measure up to something that should be transported from Otisville to Altamont? 

Or is it possible that we are just moving it because we don’t want to decide it’s fate, and somehow spoil some really good memories.

In our packing we have found Little League items, Cub and Boy Scout uniforms, teacher’s supplies, at least on 3.5 inch computer disk, and about 7 million pictures.

Did you know Sue’s dad worked for Kodak! There is some evidence in our house!

But, not only Sue has pictures!
I have a picture of my parent’s wedding with my Mom’s parents, Percy & Edna, and my Dad’s Aunt Margaret, because both his parents had already died.

Do I keep that one?

It is invaluable, a symbol of my own history. Did I mention that Aunt Margaret lived in a high rise in Toronto that had an elevator!

Trying to determine value can be so hard, so emotional, and sometimes filled with such wonderful memories - as well as sometimes sad or scary ones.

I mean, what determines value?

I have a few old coins and some of my mother’s jewelry. How do I determine their value? One of the coins I know has some financial value, but the rest?

And here is something that makes it even harder!

Because while we are measuring the value of the stuff - isn’t that kind of also measuring the value of the person from whom it came?

It’s all quite frankly a bit scary.

But here is some really good news. 

Our God already knows our value!

You see, according to Jesus, God has sought out a relationship with us. 
Our God delights in us the same way a father delights in their child, and sorry to say, even more so in the grandchildren!

In John’s gospel it says, For God so loved the world that he gave his only son!” 

Why? 

Because in God’s eyes, we are his most precious creation. His children. The ones made in his image. The ones for whom he has always desired an open loving relationship!

And Jesus illustrates all of that so wonderfully in the parables of the lost sheep, the lost coin and finally the lost son, the Prodigal, as we know him.

God loves so much, that God is willing to leave behind the ninety-nine, to diligently search the house for the lost coin, and to wait and watch for as long as it takes for his precious ones to come home.

Because…

Well…

We are his precious ones. 

So, don’t ever assume you are too far gone to love!

Never assume that your sins are beyond redemption!

Never believe that God is not looking for you to welcome home!

Because that is never ever true! 

You are loved today, tomorrow and always.

More precious than the sheep who wandered away.

More valuable than that gold coin lost on the dirt floor.

More loved even then that prodigal son, because you are God’s child.

And today you are welcomed home.

Amen.