The other day I was listening to Christian music on the radio and I heard the singer crying out to God, wanting God to assure him that he was indeed worth dying for. It seemed the singer was trying to make peace with the fact that the beautiful, perfect, Holy Jesus died for him. My immediate thought was it's not about worth - it's about love. God didn't die for us because of our great worth, but because of His great love. We are valuable to HIM because He loves us.

Imagine you have a 2-year old child, and someone threatens to harm or destroy that child. Do you run to the rescue pleading, "Don't hurt my child, (s)he has great earning potential" or "I need that child, (s)he draws me pictures that are worth millions of dollars"? Of course not. You do whatever you can to keep your child safe because you love that child. You realize that child isn't bringing in any money; to the contrary food, shelter and keep is expensive. You know that no one would buy the scribbled drawings that child gives you but you treasure them nonetheless. You love that child, because (s)he is your child. Even the most terrible of two-year-olds is greatly loved by a healthy parent.

Well that's how God loves us - because we're His, unconditionally and passionately. In fact God's love is much stronger because He loves without the human limitations we face. When the issue came up "what would God do to save you" His response was I WOULD DIE FOR YOU.