God Values Us and Our Writing by Sandi Somers

As I was mulling over the idea of what to write for our “V” theme, I woke up one morning with the thought that God is invested in us. He values us. He loves us. There was my topic, ready to be developed. 

I hadn’t grown up with the understanding of how much God loves us. I don’t remember a defining moment in those early years when I became overwhelmed with God’s love. But over time, this knowledge grew on me, especially when my friend Shirley told us that God loves us more than we can ever, ever dream or imagine. 

Later while reading through the book of Exodus, a thought jumped out at me in the most startling way. The Israelites, recently freed from Egypt, had crossed the most desolate desert imaginable, and God had been their provider and healer. Now they were camped near Mt. Sinai, where God was ready to teach them His laws. If they obeyed God, they would be His treasured possession—how much He loved them! (19:5). His treasured possession! How much He loved them! How much He loves us. How much He loves me!   

Then last November I heard a news item that became a metaphor for what we mean to God. On November 7, 2023, a vivid blue diamond sold to an anonymous buyer for a staggering $43.8 million (about $60 million Canadian) in Geneva, Switzerland. Named “Bleu Royal”, it is among the rarest and most valuable jewels in existence. 

I realized how much God treasures and values us more than the buyer valued that blue diamond. 

Not only does God treasure and love us, however. He values our writing and has invested Himself in us to produce the words on our pages.    

God has given us individual talents, individual ways to express His truths. I’m often reminded of Brenda Ueland, who in her book, If You Want to Write, maintained that each of us is creative and original. We have something important to say because we are creative, even when we spill out our scrambled jottings and as we risk exploring our vulnerabilities. All will contribute to our skill and future successes. 

But God intends our writing to go out beyond ourselves. He has intended that our writing should influence others for His Kingdom. How often I’ve heard authors say that their words have encouraged others, met a need at a pivotal moment, or given laughter to lighten heavy spirits. We enrich their lives. 

Which brings me full circle. As we enrich other lives with our writing, God enriches our lives with His love. Thoughts are sprinkled all through Scripture: 

•     “The Lord your God is with you…He will take great delight in you, He will quieten you with His love, he will rejoice over you with singing” (Zephaniah 3:17).
•     “I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness” (Jeremiah 31:3).
•     “For you are a people, holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you…to be his people, his treasured possession” (Deuteronomy 7:6). 

…and this verse makes a wonderful conclusion: “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love” (John 15:9).