#22: You are my treasure

You are my treasure.   

Do you want to know how you can be sure of that?

Before I created a single atom, before the universe ever began, I had you in mind. I chose you. Everything I created, I created with this end in mind: that I would have you.

But not just that. Before the universe began, I knew—more than that, I planned—that one day I would come to earth and pay the ultimate price. For what? To get you.

So I came. I, the one who made everything, to whom all things owe their being, whom all the heavens worship without end—I chose to become human. I took on a mortal, limited body. I entered a world filled with sin, and disease, and decay, and sorrow, and filth, and I chose to live in that world. I laid aside all my divine privileges. I shed all my right to be worshiped and adored. Instead, I was mocked, smeared, laughed at, dismissed, attacked, and rejected. I lived here as a man, to fully taste the horror of what sin had done to my creation.

Why did I stoop so unimaginably low? To get you.

I then chose the ultimate horror: death on a cross. But not just physical death. I became hideous, loathsome, vile sin itself. In doing so, I was, for the only time in all eternity, separated from the Father. The connection I had enjoyed with him from eternity past was lost. He poured out his full wrath against sin on me.

Why did I suffer so incredibly? To get you.

But it was impossible for death to hold me. I rose from the dead, and ascended, and am seated in the heavenlies, reigning forever. And do you know who is already seated there with me? You are.

My Father has given you to me. Do you realize what that makes you? A gift. You are the ultimate gift from the Father to me. You are the gift he planned to give me for all eternity.

Do you see why you are my treasure?

Do you think whatever puny flesh may do in this brief time on earth, or whatever failures you may see in yourself as you live in these brief moments, can in any way stop you from being my treasure?

We talked at the very beginning of these lessons about how human love, even at its most pure, is but a poor reflection of the perfect, infinite love of God. Has it ever occurred to you that human passion is this way, too?

Haven’t you read the incredible passion of the two lovers for one another in the Song of Songs? They are consumed with their love for each other. Don’t you realize that theirs is but a poor reflection of a higher, eternal passion? Don’t you understand that my love is far more passionate than human love could ever be?

You are my treasure. You are my passion.

I have been waiting for all eternity to join myself to you. To join you to myself, and the Father, and the Spirit. Now that has become reality. Soon, we will celebrate our joining. All of heaven will celebrate. And we will never stop celebrating.

I will never stop celebrating, because you are my treasure. You will never stop celebrating, because I am yours.

I’ve said all of this before:

… just as [God] chose us in [Christ] before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. (Ephesians 1:4)

… the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. (Revelation 13:8)

Although [Jesus] existed in the form of God, [He] did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. (Philippians 2:6-8)

[God] made [Jesus] who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. (2 Corinthians 5:21)

He was despised and forsaken of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and like one from whom men hide their face He was despised, and we did not esteem Him … He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities … But the Lord was pleased to crush Him, putting Him to grief, if He would render Himself as a guilt offering … (Isaiah 53:3, 5, 10)

“I have manifested Your name to the men whom You gave Me out of the world; they were Yours and You gave them to Me … I ask on their behalf; I do not ask on behalf of the world, but of those Whom You have given Me …” (John 17:6, 9)

For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church, because we are members of His body. (Ephesians 5:29-30)

“I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have drawn you with lovingkindness.” (Jeremiah 31:3)

“Therefore I will allure her, bring her into the wilderness, and speak kindly to her … I will betroth you to Me forever; yes, I will betroth you to Me in righteousness and in justice, in lovingkindness and in compassion, and I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness.” (Hosea 2:14, 19-20)

“How can I give you up? … How can I surrender you? … My heart is turned over within Me, all My compassions are kindled.” (Hosea 11:8)

“I am my beloved’s, and his desire is for me.” (Song of Songs 7:10)

“Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, or the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready.” (Revelation 19:7)