Chaplain’s Chat

Have you ever thought about how valuable and loved you are? Of course, we could answer this question in a number of different ways. Our value on the sporting field might be seen in how we perform and influence the outcome of a game. Some might see their value in the classroom by how well they perform in an exam. Some in our society, unfortunately, see our value purely in terms of economic output and what we can produce. Certainly, our families see us as valuable and loved simply for who we are and being part of the family.

But what about God? We might sometimes wonder how God views us and whether we are valuable and loved. Sometimes we might try and assess this question based purely on how a day has worked out for us or after a difficult period in our life. We might even go so far as to think that a good day must mean God loves us, whereas if things didn’t go to plan, then maybe God has it in for us. And yet, as we look to Jesus, we are reminded of the one who has loved us so much and thinks we are so valuable that he was willing to put others before himself and die for us. As Mark 10:45 reminds us, “For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and give his life as a ransom for many.” In God’s eyes, we are valuable and loved. Irrespective of our particular stage in life or even the day we have had, we can look to Jesus to confirm his love for us. His death on the cross confirms this!

Rev. Anthony Benn
Chaplain