You're A Gem!

Have you been told lately?

Olav Hartman said, "All men stand under the stars, look heavenward, and long to belong to someone's collection of valuables."

Oh how I wish that everyone who looks up into a starlit sky could hear the Creator's appeal: these were lovingly created, counted, named and hung in space for you! (see Psalm 147:4) All that "bling" out there combined doesn't compare to His precious gem - you!

You might be offended if I said you were "peculiar." 1 Peter 2:9 in the King James Version calls believers in Christ "a peculiar people." Webster's dictionary gives the meaning we are most familiar with: "strange, unusual, odd." There is a second meaning: "unique, special, belonging exclusively to one individual, belonging to God."

That kind of peculiar is God's design and my delight! It comes from the Latin word peculium. The peculium was "the emperor's personal treasure." Talk about valuable!

 Author Greg Anderson found a shop with my name on it in London, England…MOIRA FINE JEWELLRY!

The King of kings calls us His "treasured possession." In fact, He "set His seal of ownership on us, and put His spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come" (2 Corinthians 1:22). Do you see yourself as a crown jewel?

The British monarchy endorses favourite products with "the royal warrant." This seal of approval is a crest with the words: "By appointment to Her Majesty the Queen."
Look for it on everything from marmalade to crackers on the supermarket shelves. It brings a sparkle to my morning just to think that Queen Elizabeth and I may be enjoying something in common for breakfast.

Ephesians 4:30 says we have been "sealed for the day of redemption" by the indwelling Holy Spirit:

"The Spirit is God's guarantee that He will give us everything He promised and that He has purchased us to be His own people" (Ephesians 1:14a).

As a little girl, I loved to sing this hymn: When He cometh, when He cometh to make up His jewels, All His jewels, precious jewels, His loved and His own. Like the stars of the morning, His bright crown adorning, They shall shine in their beauty, bright gems for His crown! (William O. Cushing)

With privilege comes responsibility. We have a royal calling and commission;

"But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light" (1 Peter 2:9 NIV).

The Author of Life wrote these inspirations.  I recorded this one in a chapter entitled, be a reader of books and life. I hope you feel Hugged from Heaven.