You are valuable, you are loved, and someone knows you even better than you know yourself. There is an image and likeness imprinted upon your being that is the basis of your value … a value beyond your wildest dreams.
Coins used to have the face of the person who guaranteed their value, minted onto them. Any note or coin has a guarantor, a person or institution that guarantees its value. Even if a coin gets lost, the coin never loses it’s value.
The one who invented and designed you, stamped you with His own image and likeness.
He knows you better than you know yourself … He knew you even before you were born. You might not know Him, but He has always known you. You might not be aware of Him, but He has always had you on His mind.
You might think ‘why’ … why would anyone have such an obsession with me. Well, the creator of this universe sees a value and a beauty in you beyond anything in this natural world. He even sees a possibility of romance!
When, Where and Why you began.
Whatever age you are, you have a beginning that cannot be measured in time.
You have the most awesome origin. In the beginning, before creation, before time as we experience it, before the existence of evil, there was a dynamic exchange of love, a relationship without boundaries, an enjoyment of total abandonment … a being we now call God. It was in the very midst of this fiery love, at the core of this passion, that the idea of … you came into being!
The God who is love planned to share this love with beings created in His image and likeness. This God, who is all-knowing and able to accomplish all of His purposes, planned a love-affair that would span over eons and conclude with a final victory in which His love conquered all – no contradiction; no evil.
This good news is not some new idea, but the ancient, original thought of God.
Let’s imagine this beginning, let’s allow the spirit of God to draw us to this place in which all things had their origin. Although no science can explain it, although the greatest minds have tried and failed to define it, God is confident that you are able to comprehend the unsearchable; to appreciate the motivation that gave you birth; to remember where you began. In this place there is no space, yet no limit; no creation, yet no emptiness – there is only God in all His fullness. He is not lonely or in lack. It is out of His fulness, out of the overflow of love that you are conceived.
God did not imagine a pet that would simply entertain Him! This God-dream is about a being who has the capacity to intelligently appreciate, to receive, to produce and to exchange the same quality of love that flows within God. His plan is not vague or speculative philosophy, but clear and specific … so clear, that He uniquely identifies and names the individuals who would form part of the plan and become part of creation. And so before the foundation of this world, He saw you in Christ. At this point, He made up His mind about you! No matter what detours, no matter what contradictions would come, He determined that you would be His treasure – blameless and innocent before Him in love.
When did you begin?
Before creation, before time itself.
Where did you begin?
In the very heart of love, a love relationship we call God.
Why did you begin?
To be loved, adored … and ultimately for that love to be awakened in you.
The Word made flesh.
The original, authentic Word was face to face with God from the very beginning. God Himself is the content of this communication – revealing His personal presence and unique expression in all that exists.
In fact there is nothing original or innovative outside of Him! He is the only Creator and the source of all inspiration and creativity. Everything that is, has ‘Made by God’ stamped on its existence.
The very life of God is what ignited the existence of man. This original light still shines even in darkness and no amount of darkness can put this light out. (John 1:1-5 Breath of Life)
The time lapse between the original thought of God and now is obviously vast. Has this original thought not been lost through time?
No, this authentic dream began before time and was preserved, set apart, in a person called Jesus Christ. In Him the logic of God was kept until the right time when it was made visible in flesh. He came and demonstrated in human form, the kind of life God had in mind from the very beginning … a life where God and man is so fully united that we cannot even tell them apart.
Man began in God. No matter how far man has fallen from his original place of innocence, God has never been confused about the true identity of man.
Jesus Christ is the place, the event and the person in which God and man meet once again. In Christ Jesus, God has taken the initiative to reconcile man back to Himself – to restore man to blameless innocence.
Jesus Christ is fully God and fully man, and as such does not only represent God’s initiative, He also represents man’s perfect response of faith to God’s initiative.
Jesus reveals the heart of God more than any other story ever told or any scripture ever written. In Him God reveals that He does not want to be God apart from us. He does not want to be a distant or unknowable God. The only way in which He wants to be God, is with man, in man, and as a man.
Jesus reveals the truth about man more accurately than any other story, or even the factual history of man. In Him we see that the only way to be fully man, the only way to be fully free, is in union with God.
This passion of God to restore man to that place of union, would drive Him to pay any price, to go to any depth to see it accomplished. And so in the act of becoming man, He places Himself in a position of conflict. Everything that has ever stood between God and man, every obstacle and every form of separation (called sin in the Bible) would meet and come to a final conclusion in this God-man, Christ Jesus.
When your timeless Creator became a man, He mystically united Himself with you, so that He could bring an end to everything that stood between you and release you to be fully and truly yourself again. In this unity He faced everything you faced … and conquered! In His death, you died! That old state of being, separated from Him and united with sin, was brought to a final end in Him. He has wiped your slate clean, forgiven you of every wrongdoing.
In His resurrection, you were resurrected to newness of life – that original life that God imagined for you from the beginning. In His ascension, you were raised to the most glorious place of honour – a place where God delights in you!
The only thing that has ever kept you from enjoying these realities, is blindness. Not seeing what He sees, keeps us from enjoying what He enjoys. But these very words you are reading now, are reminding you of your union with Him.
As for me, I shall behold thy face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied, when I awake in thy likeness (Psalm 17:15)
What should I do?
You might ask, what should I do … how does one respond to such news? Well the good news is that the hard work has already been done for you! Jesus defeated everything that stood between you! Gratitude … love awakened, is all that’s left to do. Some call it faith.
Here’s a simple suggestion to give expression to this faith. Turn your focus inward. Become aware of the One who made you and united Himself with you … within you. In your own thoughts and words respond … something like: Thank you for who You are and what You have done for me. As You gave yourself in love to me, in Jesus Christ, I give myself in love to You. You made me in Your image and likeness, I acknowledge Your ownership. You made me to be loved … here I am, love me!
Copyright 2012 Andre Rabe, alwaysloved.net
You are free to publish and distribute this message as a whole, including this copyright notification.
PDF version here:Â http://www.scribd.com/fullscreen/79685790?access_key=key-znie4zfrwa79qnkuvo2
- You are valuable beyond measure. Hungarian translation (Flyer Format)
- You are valuable beyond measure. Hungarian Translation.
- You are valuable beyond measure. Manderin translation.
- You are valuable beyond measure. Slovakian translation.
- You are valuable beyond measure. Russian translation.
This is absolutely beautiful. Publish it.
Thanks Theo 🙂
Yes, agreed publish it, it is very beautiful.
Andre this is so perfect! I can’t imagine anyone reading this without their hearts being moved by the love of the Father!
The awakening of Christ in you, the hope of glory!
I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of hearing this message. Thank you Andre for finding the right words to make the ‘good news’ really GOOD NEWS
Awesome… Thank you Andre!!! This is so precious… Absolute beauty… Glory!!! Everything you do beloved brother is just wonderful… I asked Papa to get me on the cruise with you. In the natural does not look possible. Perhaps in the Spirit? …With deep gratitude, thanking Papa every day for you beloved brother. Stanislav
A M A Z I N G !!!!
GOD’s expression in and through you!
My heart is in teaching people about Father’s love and their value and identity in Christ. The Grace of God enables them to be all that God created them to be. The coin illustration really brings it all home a real understanding on value and who we are. I love it. Thank you. I am so in love with Jesus. I want others to know The God of the Bible. May God richly bless your ministry with His Wisdom and may your arena of influence be enlarged. May Love, Grace and Peace be yours!! Kathy Newton
Hi Andre, you have such an amazing way to communicate the language of the spirit. Deep call unto deep. His love is plain for all to understand when you write or open your mouth. I will definitely make use of it in the support groups (young people recovering from substance abuse) I pray for huge influence and impact, you and Mary-Anne will have on the nations. Love and much appreciation.
Thank you all. Thats awesome Tans. This world is so ready to see the reality of who Jesus is … through us. We have an irresistible message … even when is does not look like it at first.
I will have a PDF format available soon.
Wow… it is becoming clearer! Is anybody is tranletting this in french? ☺
Thank you Andre! Absolutely worth it.
Andre,
Thank you for reminding me, again, who I am…
… yeah … “the Word made flesh” … you and I … co-equal, co-heir, co-union, co-labor, co-create from God in us … what a Reality!
Papa wants Himself known in, to, and through US.
Now that is the True Gospel!!! I love it!!I love to pass the “Love” around! Thank You!!
Ah, overwhelming beauty and truth – nothing complicated – just what we’ve been made for! Fits like nothing else – thanks Andre, lief julle baie!
Wonderful truth unveiled, blindness is removed and light will never be snuffed out by out by darkness. Andre I love the way you bring the message across, it is simple and full of energy and life. Many thanks.
Its so awesome that finally the Gospel is preached as Good News!!!
is this what Paul meant when he said” I determined to know nothing among you except Christ crucified”. with this revelation it’s no wonder he wrote, ” i’m not ashamed of the gospel, for in it the righteousness of God is revealed. like waking up from the longest sleep
Came across you lookimg for the writings of “Francois du Toit”
like the truth of your message, is it possible to suscribe?
every blessing L. T. Markham
Yes:-):-):-):-):-) amen Halleluja
What a privilege to have read this article. Truth revealed with incredible “wisdom and fresh insight”. Certainly left me with a well fed soul and a hunger in the heart for more….This has been a very directive word for me and the season I find myself in. Thank you for giving your ALL to Jesus so I can experience and feed off what God has placed in you!
Blessings and love to the family
No matter how often I hear the Good News it is always fresh to me. Thank you for the simplicity of your message. We need always to be reminded of God’s image stamped on our lives and the redemption of our innocence through His loving sacrifice in Christ. Continue to bring this staggering truth to the hearts of many, Andre!
This is the kind of Gospel tract I’ve been hoping for, looking for and trying to articulate myself for about 2 years. Great job, Andre & Mary-Anne. It is, in every sense of the word, a Godsend.
Good to see in writing what you’ve shared in Bloemfontein!
Pingback: You Are Valuable Beyond Measure (guest post) | Kiss of Christ
Pingback: Вы безмерно ценны. | Одна вера
Pingback: Attachment Parenting | Discovering Me
Hi Andre, Nice article! Sorry, I must ask a question about your simple suggestion. What do you mean to turn your focus inward?
I still feel I am looking through a dark glass to see my image. I wonder if I am blinded by veils. I just started a journal online sharing this struggle to get my eyes to firmly grasp what I see. I feel like a yo-yo as my eyes prefer darkness for some reason. I wish i could switch off the part of my brain that seeks to plunge me into despair.
Thank you,
JJ
I have found the truth of the Gospel is what the Holy Spirit was speaking to me all along, my whole life – even amidst the noise and chaos of religion — He does show us truth continually. It shows up in the themes of our wildest dreams and fantastic imaginings. His imprint on our existence is so in-depth that we most times miss it. His story is everywhere in our existence, and the Spirit brings it to our hearts. He is a true Lover! If we will shut down some the other noise made by religion, we will hear Him!