forgiven. loved. free.

intrinsic value

i listened to a message by louie giglio this morning, and i was convicted more than i have been in a really long time. everyone should listen to his message “in the beginning” from his series “boy meets girl.” the purpose of this message wasn’t to tell you how you should date, how God tells you to date, what views you should have on dating; rather, it challenges us to dig deep into the scriptures and the heart of God. louie giglio points to genesis 1:24-28 to remind us that we have intrinsic value because we are made in the likeness and image of GOD. i mean really, how crazy is that?! and how easily do we forget this?! and then he goes on to explain that we so easily forget that those around us are also made in the likeness and image of God. this means everyone - the ones that offend us, the ones that our personalities clash with, the ones that have hurt us, the ones who don’t see things the way we do. everyone. when we begin to see this and make this what our lives are about, life is so much more different. we stop looking to others to find our worth , our identity , our beauty , our purpose , our hope. instead we look to Jesus, and see how in our brokenness He restores and redeems us for His glory, and because He loves us like no one else can.

the past few weeks i feel as if i have really lost sight of who i am in Christ. He has set us free, to experience life to the fullest, and to be full of joy. i am made in His image and His likeness. the world does not define me. friendships do not define me. my grades do not define me. what people think of me does not define me. Jesus Christ defines me, and because of Him i have intrinsic value. and not just me, but everyone. i need this truth to penetrate how i live my life and how i interact with those around me.

“So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.”
~Genesis 1:27