Two weeks ago my city, county, state, and national governing authorities decided I am non-essential. Or more precisely, my work is non-essential. I was advised to stay at home because my job wasn’t crucial to the welfare of my city, county, state or nation during the COVID-19 pandemic crisis. 

What about you? Has your job been declared “non essential?”  The current public conversation about what is essential and what is not has got me thinking about my value as a human being. As a Christian, I believe my value derives from my relationship with God — not my job, my economic status, or my physical health.

Fundamentally, even humans who don’t believe in God are valuable to Him. The great I AM who created humanity with a god-like free will longs to redeem us from our brokenness. Crying over Jerusalem, a city whose citizens would soon reject and crucify him, Jesus said, “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing” (Matthew 23:37).

We are so essential to God that He

  • relentlessly pursues us in the dark and dusty corners of our lives (Luke 15:8).
  • calls us back down to safety when we’re out on a limb (Luke 19:1-9).
  • releases us from the power of our personal demons (Mark 5:1-20).
  • gives us more than we would even know to ask for (I Kings 17:7-16).
  • Runs to meet us when we decide to go home (Luke 15:11-31).

I am essential to God. So are you. Will you let Him find you, save you, heal you, provide for you, embrace you today?