Precious


Isa 57:8  Behind closed doors you assemble your precious gods and goddesses. 

	
	One of the first words often learned by children is the word "mine". Even 

before this word is uttered, though, the concept behind the meaning of it is 

understood and embraced, a very part of the human nature and occupying much of 

our focus and energy from the start. Especially when it's their time to eat, there will 

be much discomfort imposed upon all surrounding persons if not just any food, but 

the food that they've found to be precious to them is provided for their possession 

and consumption. As their appetite is filled, though, there is the discovery of "things" 

that begins to take place, as objects are placed before them and they begin to develop 

the skills of interaction with those things. As there is a fixation on any one of those 

items, its possession can become an obsession, and attempts to remove that thing 

from them reveal their understanding of the word "mine" as it is expressed in words 

or screams. 


	At first it may be as simple as food or a little toy or piece of anything, but as 

maturity comes, there is a continual progression and assembly of these precious 

things, things that become "ours" in obsession if not in possession. There is a value 

placed on them and they are organized in a digressing order of how precious they are 

at the moment. There may be many things that are desired and held onto, but there 

is always an order of what will actually be given up so that the more precious thing 

can still be held. Though it may have been top on the list at one time, a once-precious 

item may be readily given up in order to gain another that has become more 

desirous. The red car that meant so much last week may be traded for the black truck 

this week.  (toy or real). The video game may be given up for the skateboard. The old 

friendship may be given up for the new kid. Large portions of time are traded to 

acquire precious finances that are given up to acquire houses, cars, families and all 

the things that these items and people would require. 


	For all the assembling in life of these "gods" and "goddesses", there is always 

something that is most precious, that would be held onto, even at the risk of losing 

everything else. This is something that may change in its position, but, for the 

moment, it has taken the place of prominence over every other item or obsession. If 

it were to be removed, there would be no reason to go on, as the possession of all 

other "things" could not replace it and the value it holds. For many people this may 

be a family member and that loved one who would remain no matter what else might 

be lost. There are many challenges to these family values, though, and it is readily 

encouraged in our society to discover the possibilities of trading that relationship for 

another that might be more gratifying. Careers and various addictions may also take 

their place as the organization of "precious" gods places temporary things of little 

actual value and great potential danger above the things of lasting and enduring 

worth. Whatever is most precious will always win out in the contest of possession 

and what is left after all else is given up will be the thing that will be still referred to 

as "mine". 



Psa 74:2  Refresh your memory of us--you bought us a long time ago. Your most 

	precious tribe--you paid a good price for us! 


	We have a God who owns the cattle on a thousand hills, the hills and the 

countries of the world, the solar system of the world, it's surrounding galaxy, and the 

galaxy's total universe of endless space and time. There was a time when he was 

occupied with the creation of what we see in all these things, when their existence 

was precious enough to ensure and to command. In the midst of all the formation of 

these things by His incredible power, though, there was a purpose in this 

demonstration. It was for something that He considered precious beyond all of those 

things. In fact, they were all just created for this other obsession of His, the existence 

of His people, the most prized possession. In consideration of all He might value, it 

would be them that would still remain and to whom He would refer to as "mine" 

when all else had to be given up. He would even offer His own Son as payment in 

exchange for their possession. Somehow, for all of time, we were given the place of 

His most precious possession.


	Even though we have been placed very high in His place of prominence and 

we have been given a position above all the riches and possessions of the world, the 

thing that makes us this wonderful thing to be held onto is not our talent, looks, or 

abilities, it is just our heart and our desire of Him. Though He can make and possess 

any other material treasure, it is the thing that He can possess by no other means but 

our willing heart that obsesses Him the most. Our simple turning to Him is the 

gratification of His greatest and most precious desire. He is not fulfilled in us until 

He has taken the place as our most Precious; the One that we still say is "mine" when 

all else is given up. 



Psa 139:17  How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum 

	of them! 

Psa 139:18  If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I 

	awake, I am still with thee. 




6/14/04